In conjunction with the theatrical premiere of John Akomfrah's The Nine Muses at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), this is the the U.S. theatrical premiere of two foundational films by the British-Ghanaian filmmaker.
Seven Songs for Malcolm X (1993, 52 min.) - An homage to the inspirational African-American leader. Seven Songs for Malcolm X collects testimonies, eyewitness accounts and dramatic reenactments to tell the life, legacy, loves, and losses of Malcolm X. Featuring interviews with Malcolm X's widow Betty Shabazz, Spike Lee, and many other.
The Last Angel of History (pictured, 1996, 45 min.) - An examination of the relationships between Pan-African culture, science fiction, intergalactic travel, and computer technology, this Afrofuturist cinematic essay posits science fiction--from alien abduction to genetic engineering--as a metaphor for the Pan-African experience of forced displacement, cultural alienation, and otherness. Akomfrah's analysis is rooted in an exploration of the works of artists such as funkmaster George Clinton and his Mothership Connection, Sun Ra's use of extraterrestrial iconography, and the writings of black science fiction authors Samuel R. Delaney and Octavia Butler.
New York City, NY; NYC