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Africa United
United Kingdom, 2010, 87 min.
Two young Rwandan soccer players undertake the 3,000-mile trip to South Africa for the World Cup in this exuberant, hopeful and supremely entertaining road movie that, while not whitewashing the myriad problems faced by modern Africans, shows how fast things are changing.... more
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The Athlete
Ethiopia, 2009, 93 min.
Marathoner Abebe Bikila, the first black African to win an Olympic gold, ran his gold medal marathon barefoot. Impressive, sure, but Bikila’s story becomes truly remarkable following an accident that leaves him unable to walk... more
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Desert Flower
United Kingdom, 2010, 124 min.
Daughter of a Somali shepherd, Waris Dirie went on to become a top supermodel and a spokesperson against the ongoing genital mutilation of African women. Hormann’s gorgeous biopic of this inspiring woman is anchored by supermodel Liya Kebede’s quietly determined turn in the lead.... more
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The First Grader
United Kingdom, 2010, 98 min.
Eighty-four-year-old Kimani, a former Mau Mau freedom fighter, takes advantage of a new Kenyan law and goes to school…. Justin Chadwick’s emotionally uplifting drama cuts between Kimani’s education and flashbacks to his harsh treatment at the hands of the British. Winner, Audience Award, Tribeca Doh... more
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I Am Slave
United Kingdom, 2010, 82 min.
Powerful and shocking by turns, this drama of the modern-day slave trade features a soul-stirring performance from Wunmi Mosaku as a Sudanese woman sold into slavery who ends up “working” for a family in London without pay and while deprived of her passport.... more
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Imani
Uganda, 2009, 78 min.
In the course of just one day in contemporary Uganda, we venture into the seemingly unrelated lives of a child soldier, a maid, and a hip hop dancer. A refreshing snapshot of a country settling into a new national identity with richly drawn characters and vivid cinematography.... more
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Jane’s Journey
Germany, 2010, 107 min.
More than 20 years ago, primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, now 75, decided to give up her career, as well as her private life, in order to devote all her energy to saving our endangered planet. As The Boston Globe once put it: “To be with Jane Goodall is like walking with Mahatma Gandhi.”... more
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Kinshasa Symphony
Germany, 2010, 95 min.
A true ode to joy, this heartening, hopeful movie dispels European stereotypes about Africa. It shows how people living in one of the most chaotic cities in the world have managed to forge one of the most complex systems of human cooperation ever invented: a symphony orchestra. Winner, Audience Awar... more
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The Last Lions
USA, 2011, 88 min.
Fifty years ago there were close to half-a-million lions in Africa. Today there are around 20,000. This cogent, beautifully filmed documentary makes a much-needed case for the protection of lions and “big cats” in general. A cri de coeur that is both timely and fascinating.... more
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Life, Above All
South Africa, 2010, 106 min.
Featuring a completely winning central performance from the young Khomotso Manyaka as an intelligent and willful girl coming of age in South Africa during the AIDS epidemic, Oliver Schmitz’s powerful drama offers a message of hope for that beleaguered nation.... more
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Reconciliation: Mandela's Miracle
USA, 2010, 88 min.
An artful and inspiring documentary about how Nelson Mandela chose the wise path of reconciliation over revenge when he became president of South Africa. Director Wilson’s wide-ranging amalgam of historical footage and contemporary interviews shows how the “miracle” became a reality.... more
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The Rescuers
USA, 2010, 99 min.
Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List illuminated the story of a German businessman who saved hundreds of Jews from the concentration camps during WWII. However, there were many such little-known heroes who defied the Nazis to save countless Jews from a similar fate–-chief among them the 13 diplomats... more
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Soul Boy
Kenya, 2010, 60 min.
A gentle coming-of-age story encompassing the diverse worlds of the Kenyan capital, combining traditional beliefs and contemporary problems into a narrative that's part fairy tale, part teaching tool.... more
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