Peace Corps Polyglot

"I Bring What I Love" Opening In Los Angeles with Director Q&A

In June the new Youssou N'Dour documentary,"Youssou N'Dour I Bring What I Love," opened on three screens in New York City--and was even held over.  (That's Youssou (center) and the  director, Chai (far right), with some New York-area RPCVs.) Now the film is coming to the West Coast!

The film Opens Friday, July 3 in Los Angeles and Orange County.  Director/Producer Chai Vasarhelyi will appear in person for Q&A on Opening Weekend!

Here's the schedule: 

Director/Producer CHAI VASARHELYI at Laemmle's Sunset 5 for Q&A on Opening Weekend
• Fri, July 3 following the 7:00 show; will intro the 9:45 show.
• Sat, July 4 following the 7:00 show; will intro the 9:45 show.
• Sun, July 5 following the 4:10 matinee.

Film opens on Friday, July 3 (for minimum of one week) in Los Angeles and Orange County:

LAEMMLE'S SUNSET 5
8000 Sunset Blvd. • West Hollywood, CA   90046
323-848-3500 • www.laemmle.com
Showtimes July 3-July 9:   1:30, 4:10, 7:00, 9:45
Tickets On Sale:   $10.00 (General), $8.50 (Students w/ID), $7.00 (Seniors 62+/Children under 12)
Group Rate: $8.50 (Fri-Sat)/$6.00(Sun-Thur) for 25 or more, details at http://www.laemmle.com/group_sales.php

EDWARDS UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER 6
4245 Campus Drive • Irvine, CA   92612
949-854-8818 • www.regmovies.com
Showtimes and Tickets available on Monday, June 29

YOUSSOU N'DOUR: I BRING WHAT I LOVE has won multiple awards worldwide including the Circle Audience Award - Film Fest DC, Impact of Music Award - Nashville Film Festival, Special Jury Prize - Middle East International Film Festival, Audience Award and Spirit of Freedom Award - Bahamas International Film Festival.

What have the critics said?

"A singer with a voice so extraordinary that the history of Africa seems locked inside it." - Rolling Stone

"A stirring story of an artist and a hero." - NBC/Reel Talk

"A beautiful meditation on faith, Islam and music." - The Huffington Post

YOUSSOU N'DOUR: I BRING WHAT I LOVE, is a music-infused cinematic journey about the power of one man's voice to inspire change. The film chronicles Africa's pop sensation Youssou N'dour, a devout Muslim, as he releases a deeply personal and religious album called Egypt in the hope of promoting a tolerant face of Islam. While the record received international acclaim and a Grammy, it was denounced as blasphemy in his native Senegal. Director Chai Vasarhelyi followed Youssou N'dour for over two years - filming in Africa, Europe, and America - to tell the story of how he faced these challenges and eventually won over audiences both at home and abroad.

For more information about NPCA's partnership with the film, click here.

For more information about the film contact Karen O'Hara at karenoh@aol.com or 520-326-0813.  

"I Bring What I Love" Opening in New York

NPCA recently announced its partnership with Shadow Distribution around the documentary film "I Bring What I Love," a portrait of Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour.  Here's a report of how the film's opening went in last weekend:

Hi Anne, Erica and Molly,

YOUSSOU N'DOUR: I BRING WHAT I LOVE had a fabulous opening weekend in New York City.   It is being held over by The Paris and BAM Rose Cinemas, and starts at the Village East Cinema on Friday.

The main show on opening night, June 12 at the IFC Center sold out and was very exciting.   It was attended by Janet Duncan, President, RPCVs of Greater NY, and a small group of RPCVs.   Youssou D'Nour and director Chai Vasarhelyi did a lively Q&A following the screening.  

At the Paris Theatre on Wednesday night, June 17, Amie Kabia, an RPCV who served in Madagascar and is currently a Peace Corps recruiter, introduced the film and mentioned our partnership.   She also brought Peace Corps literature for display in theater.   Her mother is from The Gambia, her father is African, and she grew up listening to Youssou's music.   A Q&A with the director followed the screening....

Major cities coming up that we need your support with include Los Angeles (7/3), Santa Barbara (7/17), Santa Fe (7/24), Atlanta (7/31), Austin (8/14), Dallas (8/21), Houston (8/28), San Diego (9/4).   We don't have a Washington DC date yet but will soon....  

Onward!

Best,
Karen

Rediscovering Afghanistan

One of the best things about RPCVs is the truly fascinating stories they have to share and the things we can learn from those stories.  Dirt Road Documentaries, headed by RPCV Jill Vickers and Jody Bergedick, created a documentary about the experience of vaccinator teams in Afghanistan in the late 1960s. 

The documentary, called Once in Afghanistan, focuses on spreading a message of understanding through the story of unlikely encounters and cultural lessons.  Vickers (Afghanistan 68-70) was inspired to create the documentary after a group reunion.  "I was floored by some of the women's stories from their lives after Peace Corps, and I wanted to hear all of the stories," she said.   

The project not only serves to educate people about some fascinating events in Afghanistan, it also has helped bring together RPCVs.  "This project of interviewing, collecting and digitizing all the photos taken by group members in Afghanistan, and of making them into a story has widened and deepened relationships with group members," Vickers said.  "We now know more about each other, write and call more often, and spend more face time together."

She also says making this documentary is a way to reconnect with her own Peace Corps experience.  Since starting her work on Once in Afghanistan, Vickers has found that while learning about and working to share the stories and histories of others, her understanding of her own has been enhanced.  "My experience and its impact feel more immediate and more accessible to me. It has empowered me to act to raise awareness of the Afghans, their history, their wants and needs, and to raise money to help with some ongoing projects there."

To learn more about the documentary and for a list of screenings, visit www.dirtroaddocumentaries.com

"American Idealist: The Story of Sargent Shriver" is Long Overdue

Whew! Here at NPCA our small staff is still catching up after our recent very busy, very productive annual summer meetings. In the space of three days there were meetings of the Board of Directors, Group Leaders Forum, General Membership and Advisory Council, plus a day of advocacy on Capitol Hill, all topped off with a reception and special advance screening of “American Idealist:  The Story of Sargent Shriver” at the Library of Congress.  Close to 300 people attended this last event, made possible through the generous support of NPCA partner GEICO and with the assistance of Director Bruce Ornstein and the Chicago Video Project.

It’s thrilling to think that with this documentary this overlooked American visionary will finally be getting his due. Nowadays –if he registers at all – the general public knows Shriver as the father of broadcaster Maria Shriver and the father-in-law of a certain governor of California. Some might remember that he had a hand in creating the Peace Corps. But I would guess almost none would credit him with the creation of Head Start, Job Corps and other War on Poverty programs that are taken for granted as part of the fabric of American life. And close to none would know that he had serious national political prospects of his own before joining the Kennedy family. 

In the audience for the screening were many people who knew “Sarge” personally. Tom Scanlon, an early Peace Corps volunteer and long-time friend, offered opening remarks that attested to Sarge’s guts, vision and commitment to peace in all its manifestations. As for the film, it was by turns eye-opening, entertaining and inspiring, with knowing laughs erupting from the audience at several points (there's a priceless exchange with LBJ) and a standing ovation at the end. 

As the crowd dispersed one of our interns remarked how Shriver’s name never once came up during a semester-long course she had taken on poverty in America. The film, it is hoped, will change this. Bruce Orenstein is working with Harris Wofford, Bill Josephson, and Geri Critchley to organize an education campaign that will implant “American Idealist” and its accompanying teaching materials in high schools, college classrooms, and public service organizations where it will teach and inspire for years to come. The timing of the release, just before the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, couldn’t be more auspicious. “American Idealist: The Story of Sargent Shriver” will serve as a powerful reminder of what bold, courageous and compassionate leadership looks like.    

Raising the Roof for Mali

The other day I received an e-mail appeal from RPCV filmmaker Tappan Heyer, who is looking to raise money on behalf of his Malian mother, Amou Guindo.  The rains are coming and she needs a new roof. 

I first struck up an e-mail friendship with Tappan about two years ago when I learned about his Peace Corps film project, Gone to Mali.  We featured him in the "Making a Difference" area of our homepage and he later contributed a piece about his village to our special water issue of WorldView magazine.  He sent along this update:

   "I spent 3 months in Mali, returning on March 14, and as always had an amazing time. The people  there continue to be my heros, for despite their poverty and the medical problems so prevalent there, they are continually gracious, hospitable, and kind. The "Gone To Mali" film is all shot, and we got beautiful footage, which is currently being edited by Tavé Facé Drake, who was a Peace Corps Volunteer with me in Mali....

 

    "Tavé is currently working on a 5-minute trailer that we will use to go out to foundations for finishing funds, as the one up on the web is too long and we're focusing more now on the emotional/socio- cultural experience of Peace Corps and Mali rather than the development side. The water/sanitation issue in Niono will play a part, but it's pretty much another film that doesn't have an ending yet, as we're working on getting some projects in Niono and want to shoot the progress of all that."

Tappan adds that Tavé met her husband Dow Drake while serving in Mali from '91-93. She went to USC Film School, and another "Stage" friend Kim Wert (Mali '90-'92) is helping to produce Gone to Mali.  So all in all this film is going to be a true Peace Corps family affair!