The Eurodocs Festival at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica presents the documentary film Return to Goree, which tells of Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour's epic journey following the trail left by slaves and by the jazz music they invented, culminating in a powerful concert in Senegal. Great music! History you won't find in most books! Grammy-winner Youssou N'Dour! - that says it all.

Saturday, October 18, 2008
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Aero Theatre
1328 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA

Documentary, 2007, 112 minutes - view trailer http://www.retouragoree.com/trailer.html

The film is the first of a double feature.  Return to Goree is scheduled to screen first at 7:30 PM, followed by Full Metal Village about 9:30 PM (see below).  Wine and cheese reception in between films each night at the film festival.

The musical road movie Return to Goree, by Swiss Director Jean-Yves Borgeaud, tells of Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour's epic journey following the trail left by slaves and by the jazz music they invented.  Youssou N'Dour's challenge is to bring back to Africa a jazz repertoire and to sing those tunes in Goree, the island that today symbolizes the slave trade and stands to commemorate its victims.  Accompanied in his mission by the Swiss Tunisian pianist Moncef Genoud, Youssou N'Dour travels across the United States of America and Europe.  Joined by some of the world's most exceptional musicians, they meet people and well known figures and create, through concerts, encounters and debates, music which transcends cultural division.  From Atlanta to New Orleans, from New York to Dakar, through Luxemburg, the songs are transformed, immersed in jazz and gospel.  The documentary follows N’Dour’s musical journey, as well as the spiritual voyage back to Africa for the musician and the African-American artists who join him, culminating in a powerful concert in Senegal.
 
SPECIAL TICKET GIVEAWAY

•  The first 10 people will win 2 tickets! Sign-up with the cultural affairs team at the AERO before the screening. First come first serve!

Tickets:  $10 General / $8 Students & Seniors / $7 American Cinematheque
www.americancinematheque.com
www.fandango.com
Tel: 323-466-FILM

Parking:  on side streets, preferably about 1 block north of Montana (as always, watch the signs)
 
Wine and Cheese reception in between films each night.

Second Feature:
Los Angeles Premiere of Full Metal Village - 2007, Germany, Flying Moon Filmproduktion, 90 min. Dir. Sung-Hyung Cho

This documentary explores the Wacken Open Air Festival, a heavy metal concert gathering in a small German town.  Every year during the first weekend in August, the quiet town of Schleswig-Holstein becomes a meeting spot for 40,000 heavy metal fans and the bands that they come to support.  A curious clash forms between the rural community and the fans as each person in the town is affected in their own singular fashion by the festival.
 
Eurodocs Festival:
These films are part of the Eurodocs Festival, October 16 - 22, at the Aero Theatre, Santa Monica.  This eclectic 11 film showcase features 10 Los Angeles premieres of new European produced documentaries.  At the core of these films are the stories of citizens of the world making their way in the 21st century -- following or breaking tradition in human experiences that by far supersede geographic borders.

For more info, visit the Aero Theatre website at www.AmericanCinematheque.com or contact Salome Bryant-Gysi at salome.bryant-gysi@eda.admin.ch or 310-575-1145, ext. 217, or Libby McInerny at libbymcinerny@att.net or 213-268-2906.

Details forwarded from ASC colleague Salome Bryant Gysi, Cultural Affairs Dept., Consulate General of Switzerland, and Libby McInerny, on behalf of American Cinematheque.

 

Cost : Tickets: $10 General / $8 Students & Seniors / $7 American Cinematheque members

www.AmericanCinematheque.com

Sponsor(s): The Eurodocs Festival, American Cinematheque, Aero Theatre, Consulate General of Switzerland. Information about non-ASC events is forwarded for informational purposes and does not necessarily reflect opinions of or endorsements by African Studies personnel.