CineOydssey 2023 Film Showcase
Friday, June 16th
The past and present collide as three generations of Angolan women grapple with the aftermath of civil war. Nayola, the daughter who goes missing in search of her freedom fighter husband, Yara the granddaughter, a rebellious, subversive teenage rapper, and Lelena, the sage grandmother who tries to shield Yara from the police. Filmed with a bold color palette, “Nayola” is a mythic, thrilling story about the legacy of war uniquely told from a female perspective.
Dir: Jose’ Miguel Ribeiro
Narrative | Animated Feature | 2023 | 83 mins | Angola
Saturday, June 17th - Free Event
A Golden Globe nominee for Best Documentary, Wattstax was a 1972 benefit concert organized by legendary Black record label Stax Records to commemorate the 1965 riots in Watts, Los Angeles. Regarded in some circles as the “Black Woodstock”, this documentary is an unfiltered snapshot of the era, with Black voices discussing the issues of the day with unflinching honesty. It also featured a performance by Richard Pryor, and show stopping musical numbers in the genre of soul, gospel, R&B, blues, f
Dir: Mel Stuart
Documentary | Feature | 1973 | 98 mins | U.S.
A riveting portrait of the human rights, voting rights, and civil rights icon and her ground-breaking speech in front of the Democratic National Convention’s credentials committee on August 22, 1964.
Dir: Christine Swanson
Narrative | Short | 2022 | 10 mins | U.S.
Friday, June 30th, Cineodessey Next
A single woman’s feelings of loneliness begin to stir when an eccentric African couple move into her building.
Dir: Abbesi Akhamie
Narrative | Short | 2020 | 11 mins | U.S.
Set in 1980’s Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY, a spunky Latina must find her own path as she comes of age to face the grim realities of the father she once idolized, and the deteriorating neighborhood she calls home.
Dir: Elaine Del Valle
Narrative | Short | 2022 | 22 mins | U.S.
A single mother reconsiders her life in the U.S. when she vacations in her Jamaican hometown with her young, troubled son.
Dir: Stephanie Malson Prod/Writer: Malaika Paquiot
Narrative | Short | 2023 | 21 mins | U.S.
An Afro-Surrealistic film that takes a satirical look at race and culture in America from the vantage point of a White police officer, who must undergo a psychological evaluation to determine his competency before he is allowed to return to duty after an altercation with a 25-year-old Black man.
Dir: David Jones
Narrative | Short | 2023 | 19 mins | U.S
When the COVID-19 pandemic engulfs a meatpacking plant in his rural hometown, a young reporter returns to uncover the urgent and deadly circumstances threatening the plant’s Latino workers – including his father.
Dir: Carlos Avila
Narrative | Short | 2023 | 27 mins | U.S.
Director Debbie Vu’s semi-autobiographical short is a heartfelt exploration of a Vietnamese mother and daughter’s relationship, and the importance of culture and identity.
Dir: Debbie Vu
Narrative | Short | 2022 | 13 mins | U.S.
When a beloved barber is killed by police, his sister and best friend take justice into their own hands, uniting their southern community to fight police brutality and corruption.
Dir: Breana C. Venable
Narrative | Short | 2022 | 4 mins | U.S.
