African Film Festival Black History Month Screening | Elder’s Corner

Elder’s Corner is a musical voyage of rediscovery told through the lives and work of Nigeria’s long forgotten and pioneering musicians.

IN-PERSON

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is proud to present the African Film Festival, Inc. Annual Black History Month film screening. This year’s film is Elder’s Corner is directed by Adesiji Awoyinka.

Elder’s Corner is a musical voyage of rediscovery. Filmmaker Siji Awoyinka pays tribute to the countless Nigerian musicians whose vibrant music — Juju, Afrobeat and everything in between — formed the cultural and political backdrop of the country’s march toward independence through the 1950s and ’60s. Watch the trailer here.

English and Yorubá with English subtitles | Nigeria, USA | Run time: 97 mins

Following the screening, join us for a talk back with director Adesiji Awoyinka.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

PARTICIPANTS

Adesiji Awoyinka is a multidisciplinary aural and visual storyteller. Born in the UK to Nigerian parents, he spent much of his early childhood in Lagos and London before coming to the US to further pursue his musical ambitions. His music fuses elements of Soul, Jazz, Highlife, Afrobeat and Gospel music with traditional Yoruba rhythms drawn from his rich ancestral background. His critically acclaimed musical works, among them; God-given (BBE 2004), AdeSIJI (IVY 2008) and Home Grown (IVY 2014), have found appreciative audiences worldwide and continue to garner praise. Additionally, he has contributed songwriting and production talent to projects for the likes of Salif Keita, Cesaria Evora, Osunlade and Wunmi. In a bid to further broaden his creative vision, Adesiji took to directing and producing video’s and documentaries to help bring his musical compositions to life and to share part of his cultural history with a wider audience.

The African African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) is dedicated to advancing an enhanced understanding of African culture through the moving image. It offers diverse platforms for the wide distribution of African media through its flagship annual film festival and complimentary year-round programming. AFF is committed to increasing visibility and recognition for African media artists by introducing African film and culture to a broad range of audiences in the United States and abroad, bypassing economic, class and racial barriers. Learn more here.

ACCESSIBLILITY

ASL interpretation will be provided upon availability of interpreters. Live captioning is available for streaming programs. Additional accessibility requests can be made by e-mail accessibility@nypl.org.

#SchomburgLive

Image: Musician, Victor Olaiya

PUBLIC NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER

IN-PERSON | By registering for this event, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By attending an in-person program at The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold The New York Public Library, its Trustees, officers, agent and employees liable for any illness or injury. If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or suspect you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, please stay home.

FIRST COME, FIRST SEATED |  Events are free and open to all, but due to space constraints registration is requested.  Registered guests are given priority check-in 15 to 30 minutes before start time. After the event starts all registered seats are released regardless of registration, so we recommend that you arrive early.

GUESTS | Please note that holding seats in the Langston Hughes Auditorium is strictly prohibited and there is no food or drinks allowed anywhere in the Schomburg Center.

AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING  | Programs are photographed and recorded by the Schomburg Center. Attending this event indicates your consent to being filmed/photographed and your consent to the use of your recorded image for any all purposes of the New York Public Library.

PRESS | Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc) at least 24-hours before the day of the program to Leah Drayton at leahdrayton@nypl.org.