Tribute to Udi Aloni
WHY IS WE AMERICANS?
USA, 2020, 101 min
Director:
Ayana Stafford-Morris, Udi Aloni
Language & Subtitles:
English; subtitles in Hebrew
Festivals:
American Black Film Festival – Official Selection
Accolade Global Film Competition – Award of Excellence
Black Harvest Film Festival – Official Selection
Lighthouse International Film Festival
Pan African Film Festival – Official Selection
Israeli Premiere
This film is an in-depth, cinematic exploration of Newark’s legendary Baraka family and its patriarch, Amiri Baraka, one of the most prodigious African American poet/playwright/activists of our time. From the Newark Rebellion of 1967 to current day, the city’s narrative has been one of revolution with each generation picking up where the previous had left off. WHY IS WE AMERICANS? weighs in on Newark’s struggle against oppression through the personal triumphs and tragedies of the Baraka family — from Amiri’s civil rights leadership and ultimate lodestar e artistic marginalization, to the horrific murder of his sister, Kimako, through the homicide of daughter Shani (one of the first openly gay black activists) to the historic election of Ras Baraka as mayor of Newark, NJ…and through it all, it is the matriarch, Amina Baraka, this kaleidoscopic family saga is framed by on-camera interviews with Ms. Lauryn Hill
After the Screening there will be a Q&A with the philosopher Slavoj Žižek via Zoom.