As part of the BLACK BERLIN BLACK – United Polyphonic festival, filmmaker Mona Okulla Obua, whose film INDIGO was featured at Ballhaus Naunynstraße in September this year, is now curating her own film series: BLACK EYES ON BLACK BODIES. In this series, she presents films by diverse Black filmmakers, showcasing their unique perspectives, self-determined narratives, and courageous voices.
Films serve as important documentation of life and windows to the world. One of the founding fathers and pioneers of African cinema, Ousmane Sembène, emphasized that Black people, when they have no control over their stories, also have no control over their existence. Black bodies have all too often been objects of the cinematic image. Black cinema transforms them into self-determined protagonists.
The series begins in November with two documentary films and will later expand to include experimental formats such as poetry films and moving images. It commences with That Ugandan Flaming Homosexual by DeLovie Kwagala, a bold and personal story about their upbringing in a homophobic society. The documentary addresses the hunger to be heard and seen, African queerness, anger, and resistance. The film series continues with The Homes We Carry by Brenda Akele Jorde, who portrays a multifaceted portrait of a family spanning across Germany, Mozambique, and South Africa. The documentary reveals the untold and unjust experiences of Mozambican contract workers in East Germany, while also exploring forms of Afro-German identities and parenthood. MU/T/T/ER by Esther Kondo Heller, Blues for Mrs. with Savanna Morgan and Black Joy by Rafik Opti were also part of the series.
Following the film screenings, the audience can expect a discussion with the filmmakers.