Flora Gomes (By Kris Haamer)

the only man the only man who makes films who makes films in Guinea-Bissauin Guinea-BissauBy Kris Haamer

ϒ Flora GomesFlora Gomes

Guinea-Bissau is a country in the bottom 5 of the poorest nations of the world


Gomes is making a strong statement Filmmaking is hard enough; making films in Africa – only for the completely mad


Cannes select. Awards in Milan, Cardago, Ouagadougou, Zarautz, Wurzburg

Film 1: Udju Azul di YontaFilm 1: Udju Azul di Yonta

19921992

Vibrant Commercial Society. Television, shopping, fashion, nightclubs

ϒ Flora Gomes:Flora Gomes: 1 - Udju Azul di Yonta

Broken Ideals. Revolutionary Generation: “is that the country we wanted?”


Idealists miss love, and life’s opportunities



But the children keep dancing

Rejuvenation?

Selection of Cannes. Awards in Cartago, South Africa, and Creteil

Film 2: Po di SanguiFilm 2: Po di Sangui

19961996ϒ Flora GomesFlora Gomes

This is the village of Amanha Lundju

ϒ Flora Gomes:Flora Gomes: 2 - Po di Sangui2 - Po di Sangui

Turmoil. City-People cut down trees


Dou. Finds his twin brother dead


And the wife alone. Brother’s Saly


Calacalado. Mandates a quest of initiation


Evicted ‘Forest’. People on the road of exile


Desert Contact. Another tribe = sex


Saly Gives Birth. Return home to roots


A Child Paints the Future. Rejuvenation


Rejuvenation.


Community Space. Village life background


Personal Space. Expressive CU faces

Characters. Represent (entire) ethnicity



Camera. Overhead “god-view” shots


Camera. Fluid steadycam. Independent


Tension. Delay before plot point


Vis.-Cue. CU asks a question


Vis.-Answer. Plot point, next scene


Snd.-Cue. Woman cries. Cam. finds her

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT GUINEA-BISSAU?GUINEA-BISSAU?

POVERTY, POVERTY, SICKNESSSICKNESS, CIVIL , CIVIL

WAR, WAR, DESTRUCTION &DESTRUCTION &

WESTERN WESTERN AID.AID.


While These Things Exist, While These Things Exist, There is an Africa of Incredible BeautyThere is an Africa of Incredible Beauty


Awards in Ouagadougou, Coimbra, Montreal, Amiens, and Venice

Film 3: Nha Fala

20022002

Society in Change. Where to put A. Cabral?

ϒ Flora Gomes:Flora Gomes: 3 - Nha Fala

Vita is cursed. Can’t sing or she dies


Leaves for Europe. Finds a boyfriend


Finds a voice. Becomes a famous singer


Returns home with boyfriend – to die


And be reborn


Rejuvenation!

Directs & Cowrites Rebirth. Rejuvenation. Hope in Children

ϒ Flora Gomes:Flora Gomes:


Dir. Style. Warmth. Firmness. Clarity.

Language. Feat. Kriolu – 4 of 7 films


Travel. Moral Change. New Beg. Initiation.



Question. Change in African societies?


Confrontation. Tradit. Africans vs. modernity


Clean Break w/ History. Consequences


Portuguese scholars: Gomes makes Ethnofiction or Docufictionin the tradition of seminal documentarians Flaherty, Rouch, Oliveira


THANK YOU

Flora Gomes (By Kris Haamer)

Entertainment & Humor

Transcript of Flora Gomes (By Kris Haamer)