Rooftop Films and IFP present: Burning in the Sun (Event Over)
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 19
Rooftop Films and
IFP,
in collaboration with
Solar One,the
Green Edge Collaborative and the
Solar-Powered Film Series present
BURNING IN THE SUN
World Premiere!
Free Show!
2008 IFP Documentary Lab selection*
Presented outdoors at a solar energy center, this exciting
documentary follows a young man’s quest to start a local
business building solar panels in his homeland of Mali—the
first of its kind in the sun drenched nation.
Venue: on the pier at Solar One
Address: 23rd Street @ the East River (Kips Bay, Manhattan)
Directions: R/6 to 23rd St., walk all the way east.
Rain: In the event of rain the show will be held under tents at the same
location. Bring an umbrella, too.
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM:
Sound Fix presents live music
9:00PM: Films
11:00PM–12:30AM: Reception including free Radeberger Pilsner
Admission:
FREE!
Presented in partnership with:
, &
XØ Projects
MAP |
VISIT THEM ON FACEBOOK
CHECK OUT SELECTIONS FROM RONEN LANDA'S SCORE AND HIS ALBUM
"PICTUREBOOKS":
OFFICIAL WEBSITE |
iTunes |
CDBaby
BURNING IN THE SUN (Cambria Matlow & Morgan Robinson | New York
& Mali |
VISIT THEM ON FACEBOOK | 65 min.)
26-year-old charmer Daniel Dembele is equal parts West African and
European, and looking to make his mark on the world. A chance
encounter while managing a café in Europe convinces him to
return to his homeland in Mali and start a local business building
solar panels—the first of its kind in the sun drenched
nation. Daniel's goal is to electrify the households of rural
communities, 99% of which live without power. Burning in the Sun
tells the story of Daniel’s journey growing the shaky startup
into a viable company, and of the business’ impact on
Daniel’s first customers in the tiny village of Banko. Taking
controversial stances on climate change, poverty, and African
self-sufficiency, the film explores what it means to grow up as a
man, and what it takes to prosper as a nation.
Founding a small business is something that is deeply embedded in
American and European culture, a topic to which many can relate.
But most have never seen this universal kind of effort take place
in Africa, traditionally marked out by the media as the land of the
starving, the war ravaged and the hopeless. In this portrayal of
Daniel, who undertakes a familiar effort in an unfamiliar
environment, the filmmakers attempt to open the door to what is
possible in Africa, and update Western cultural awareness with a
profound dose of optimism. For directors Matlow and Robinson,
Daniel’s work shatters notions of the need for African
dependence on outside aid and embraces the view that ultimately it
is Africans who will develop Africa in their own way.
Now more than ever before, people around the world have come to see
green-collar jobs not just as a liberal myth but as an absolute
necessity for survival in our rapidly changing economies and
environments. Daniel’s work reminds us that every country
needs a leader who will encourage this kind of transformative
change. His charisma, intelligence, and daring suggest a young
Barack Obama, and it is difficult not to imagine him one day taking
high office in Mali.
Surprising visual contrasts, like a bright blue shiny modern solar
panel resting on the ground of a pale brown dusty African village,
confront a viewer’s preconceptions about solar energy and
about Africa. Scenes shot in natural sunlight and total darkness
work strategically to place the viewer in the characters’
shoes. The original score combines emotional orchestral sounds with
modern R&B swagger and traditional Malian folk music to
sonically reinforce the idea that something utterly new and
original is taking place. Handheld camerawork emphasizes
Daniel’s infectious energy and constant movement forward,
while serene shots of rural Mali’s slow, small-town pace
contrast with Daniel’s kineticism and the urban chaos of the
capital and punctuate the cultural divide between them. Throughout
the film, expert interviews and voiceover narration are omitted in
favor of giving space to both Daniel and the people of Banko to
tell their own story, in their own words.
Strikingly beautiful and a revolution of ideas, Burning in the Sun
is not a typical portrait of Africa.
CHECK OUT SELECTIONS FROM RONEN LANDA'S SCORE AND HIS ALBUM
"PICTUREBOOKS":
OFFICIAL WEBSITE |
iTunes |
CDBaby
Rooftop Films is a non-profit organization whose mission is to
engage and inspire the diverse communities of New York City by
showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers and musicians. In
addition to our Summer Series – which takes place in unique
outdoor venues every weekend throughout the summer – Rooftop
provides grants to filmmakers, teaches media literacy and
filmmaking to young people, rents low-cost equipment to artists and
non-profits, and produces new independent films. At Rooftop Films,
we bring the underground outdoors. For more information and updates
please visit our website at
www.rooftopfilms.com.
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