Indiana University’s Department of French & Italian will bring Fred Kudjo Kuwornu to campus next week to screen two of his award-winning documentaries– 18 Ius Soli and Inside Buffalo. Kuwornu will also show excerpts from his current project, Blaxploitation, during his lecture on “Blackness in Italian Cinema.” All events take place Nov. 17-19 (see details below).
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu, born and raised in Italy, is an Italian-Ghanaian activist, producer, writer, and director based in Brooklyn, NY and Rome. In 2010, after working with the production crew of Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna (2008), he produced and directed the award-winning documentary Inside Buffalo, followed in 2011 by 18 lus Soli. Kuwornu founded the non-profit organization Diversity Italia, promoting the importance of racial and ethnic diversity in Europe, using film and other arts as tools for building a more inclusive society. His current projects are Blaxploitalian about Blackness in Italian cinema, Afropeans about the Black diaspora in Europe, and 65 about the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Act
Nov. 17, 6:45-9:30 pm, WH 120
Screening: 18 Ius Soli presented and discussed by the director
This documentary is organized around interviews of 18 successful young men and women born in Italy of immigrant parents and the effect of the law that says they must be 18 years old before they can obtain Italian citizenship.
Nov. 18, 12:00-2:00pm, ED 1230
Screening: Inside Buffalo presented and discussed by the director
Award-winning film documentary about the untold story of the African-American soldiers of the 92nd Infantry Division, who valiantly fought side-by-side with Italian partisans against the Nazis along the Gothic Line, mainly in Tuscany.
Nov. 19, 6:45-9:30 pm, GY 126
Lecture: Blackness in Italian Cinema with clips from backstage rough cut Blaxploitalian, followed by Q&A session
This story never before told, spanning over 100 years, starting from silent and colonial movies up to the present day, recounts the contributions of actors of African descent to Italian cinema.
Sponsored by the Olga Ragusa Fund of the Department of French & Italian
Leave a Reply