ASM:
You spend part of your time in Los Angeles and Africa. What are your favorite country locations in Africa and why do you favor those places?
AB:
I love everywhere. I do not really have a favorite but I would say I do like Lagos. It is as big as Cairo in Egypt or New York City. So you have the energy of Africa in a modern big city. I like to stand at a corner of Lagos and just watch the energy go down- it is exciting. I also like the beauty of East Africa- Tanzania, Kenya and so on. When you are there in Kilamanjaro, you begin to get a sense of the world and where we have been and how long we have been here; and that changes the conversation. It makes one understand more about civilization- from the Serengeti to the Indian Ocean. I like what is happening in South Africa-I like the Pan African sense of the country. I love Libya though it is unfortunate that the country is going through a lot at the moment. I just like being there in Africa around my people, enjoying the beauty of it all. Being there gives one the chance to take time out to think, clear the head and have a sense of where you have been.
ASM:
So what was your first experience like going back to Africa? What was the motivation to go and experience Africa for yourself rather than hear about it from others?
AB:
The first time was in 1970 when I went to Tanzania. What motivated me I would say is first of all I am African. So the need to identify and be conscious of what is going on with others like me around the globe-especially in Africa was in me. I am from a small town in Wyoming, which is where the quintessential western cowboys are. My friends and I wanted to know more about our roots; we wanted to know how we got to Wyoming because there was nothing that spoke to us. This led me to understand more about who I am and it thereby led me to look into where I came from. There were only about two thousand black folks in Wyoming and I wanted to go out to meet and be around more people of color. So we always had to go out of the area to get the black culture by catching a bus to Denver, Colorado to go see entertainers such as Jackie Wilson, James Brown and many others. It became the natural path that I would take as I grew up by moving to Los Angeles, New York and then Africa.
"…seeing our great elders doing jobs that were not to their full potential, drove us to want to do more. That drive makes us think about what we can do to get out and reaffirm and develop ourselves personally so that we have a better life…"
ASM:
A lot of people tend to get to a point where they have had enough of something and this pushes them to go beyond their immediate surroundings. Can you identify or describe what that drive is or what it feels like?
AB:
As a youngster, seeing our great elders doing jobs that were not to their full potential, drove us to want to do more. That drive makes us think about what we can do to get out and reaffirm and develop ourselves personally so that we have a better life. So moving to New York was one level; and moving to Los Angeles was another level. So what was left was going to Africa. The idea is that you want to constantly develop yourself is what drives one to move beyond his or her surroundings. My going to Africa is not just for entertainment or relaxation. I go to consistently learn more in the different parts of the continent as I work on the Film Festival.
ASM:
Does that drive co-relate with what you are doing and continue to do with the Pan African Film festival?
AB:
There is definitely a connection. I am lucky I grew up in the sixties because I came of age being a part of the movement at that time. All the information we needed to know about ourselves as a people were given to us. I remember meeting Dr. Martin Luther King at UCLA who as we know was such a profound man, as he spoke to some others and me about what we were doing with our lives because Dr. King was all about action. Two years later, the next time I saw him and stood by to say hello, he walked to me, grabbed me by my arm and told me I was going up to Washington, DC with him. So when you are around people like him, you cannot help but want to do something that will make a difference in your life and in the lives of others.
ASM:
When did the Pan African Film Festival come about? What is the mission to further these kinds of experiences?
AB:
I have been watching Pan African films since I was twelve. It started while playing basketball with friends. After playing rounds of the game, we walked across the street to get drinks. There was a picture show next to the store and what stopped us on our tracks was a poster of a beautiful lady surrounded by these brothers featured in the show. We went in to watch the show and I have to say that it was incredible-the movie was Black Orpheus. The movie brought the music and culture of Brazil to the forefront. From that time on, I started watching primarily Pan African films. The idea of the Pan African Film Festival comes from Africa.
Through the slave trade, we are spread out around globe; and so putting all together you begin to get a good sense of who we are. However, we are caught up in telling our individual stories that we do not give others a chance to really tell theirs. The thing is, everyone has bits of information and knowledge to share and if we put all the information together, everyone gets to learn from one another which in turn diversifies the black community from Africans, African-Americans to Afro-Latinos, Afro-Europeans; therefore enhancing the quality of life. When we started the festival, we were not sure how the audience would react to international films with subtitles. However, we realized that when we went out to watch these films ourselves, we did not care if a film did or did not have subtitles because the movies were captivating. And the same goes for those who attend the festival now. They find the movies captivating and that is why we have lasted this long.
"…everyone has bits of information and knowledge to share and if we put all the information together, everyone gets to learn from one another which in turn diversifies the black community from Africans, African-Americans to Afro-Latinos, Afro-Europeans; therefore enhancing the quality of life…"
ASM:
What is the main aim?
AB:
The festival was created to raise the consciousness of people-especially that of the black community; and that is Pan African, which in turn informs and educates. In addition, the aim is to bring filmmakers, actors, and producers together to look at other people's work during the two weeks of the event. This way people get to appreciate each other's work and network with the possibility of working on great future films. Again, people get caught in their stories and are hesitant reach out to others to explore other film avenues; and the festival aims to change that because you never know what can come out of it.
ASM:
Do you see differences in the way African movies have been embraced and appreciated since you started the festival? What would they be?
AB:
There is no doubt about it the African movie industry has come a long way- especially the Nigerian movie industry. In the industry, a lot of films are made with the intent of primarily making profit with major investments put into the films made. However, in the African movie industry, the obligation is primarily to tell a story or teach a lesson, which is why viewers enjoy them. It is not that they do not have an interest in making money but they do not wait for the investors to come. They rely on themselves to produce these movies- which is why countries like Nigeria churn out a lot movies every month at low budgets but have a vast number of watchers from within and outside the country-making it the third biggest film industry behind Hollywood and Bollywood. With the consistent visibility of the Nigerian movies, and change in the filmmaking today, African American actors are paying more attention to the Nollywood industry and are getting involved themselves. Though there is a slow response from the Hollywood industry, the room is gradually opening for African and Pan African movies within our community. We do not need to wait on big investors to get the job done. A lot of great stories are being told in the Diaspora. We need to believe in ourselves and support each other to get our films made and noticed.
ASM:
What advise do you have for those who want to get into the film industry with the Afrocentric perspective? Anything they should particularly do to prepare and educate themselves?
AB:
The advice I would give is to first get an education in the African cultures from Africa to South America and Caribbean - know and understand who we are and what we are about. Seriously read and study all types of books from non-fiction to fiction. One problem that filmmakers have is that they are not reading enough. You can see from the films worked on or by what is said in the films that they have not been exposed enough to great story telling. We come from great storytellers; and as filmmakers, the job is to build upon the stories of our ancestors that came before us to make incredible movies. Another advice is to get out of what is considered the "trend" and explore the open. Do not make your film the only center of attention; make room to learn from other films outside of your own. Expand the mind and consciousness. Learn how to write; and I mean serious writing. That means if one has to take up writing courses or go to workshops, then do so. Focus on getting all the necessary steps to make you a well-rounded filmmaker. Although it may be difficult not to think about the financial aspect, do not focus so much on it. That side of the business will materialize; but only if you make the effort to produce and tell great stories through your films. Finally, be humble and open yourself to be advised or criticized on your work. It will help you in the long run to be a great leader and filmmaker.