Audio/Video:

Lira

South Africa’s

Songstress

July 31, 2012 Posted by: AquaRafiki

Afro-soul songstress Lira won Album of the Year the the 2009 South African Music Awards for the excellent Soul in Mind LP. She now continues to break barriers, having recently received global media features such as being named one of “Five Unique Artists Set to Change Music in 2012″ by Essence Magazine, as well as spreads in L’uomo Vogue, amongst others.

In her newest album Rise Again, Lira showcases her confidence and happiness —  new single “Feel Good” plays like a marriage between a Stevie Wonder jam and Miriam Makeba. Part of a new cadre of African artists making moves stateside, Lira sees herself as an ambassador for the new Africa, ”We’re proud of being African, but there’s also a desire to be a part of the world. Part of the way we can raise the consciousness back home is when people see us rise on the world stage. We don’t do it for the individual, we do it for the entire group.” Watch her video for “Phakade” above and stream “Feel Good” below.

The Sillerman First Book Prize

for African Poets 2012

($1,000 top prize and publication

| Africa-wide)

Deadline: 15 November 2012

(Note: This competition charges entry fees. Participate with caution.)

The African Poetry Series has been made possible through seed funding from philanthropists, Laura and Robert F. X. Sillerman, whose generous contributions have facilitated the establishment of the African Poetry Book Fund. Mr. and Mrs. Sillerman have also welcomed the use of their name for the First Book Prize for African Poets.

PRIZES: The winner receives USD $1000 and publication through with the University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal.

ELIGIBILITY

• The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets will only accept “first book” submissions from African writers who have not published a book-length poetry collection. This includes self-published books if they were sold online, in stores, or at readings. Writers who have edited and published an anthology or a similar collection of other writers’ work remain eligible.
• An “African writer” is taken to mean someone who was born in Africa, who is a national or resident of an African country, or whose parents are African.
• Only poetry written in English is eligible. Translated poetry is accepted but a percentage of the prize will be awarded to the translator.
• No past or present paid employees of the University of Nebraska Press or Amalion Press, or current faculty, students, or employees at the University of Nebraska, are eligible for the prizes.

WHEN TO SEND: Manuscripts are accepted annually between September 15 and November 15.

MANUSCRIPT:

• Poetry manuscripts should be at least 50 pages long.
• The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript. All entries will be read anonymously. Please include a cover page listing only the title of the manuscript (not the author’s name, address, telephone number, or email address). An acknowledgements page listing the publication history of individual poems may be included, if desired. No application forms are necessary. You may submit more than one manuscript.
• The Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets accepts electronic submissions ONLY. Click here or the button below to submit via Submittable.

ENTRY FEE: A USD $20 processing fee must accompany each submission.

NOTIFICATION: The winner is announced on the African Poetry Book Fund website on or before January 1. Results are emailed shortly thereafter.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: info@africanpoetrybf.unl.edu

For submissions: via submittable (to open September 15th)

Website: http://africanpoetrybf.unl.edu/

For Budding Writers:

Euterpre Young Adult

Short Story

Writing Contest 2012

Deadline: 1 September 2012

Euterpe Young Adult Books, an Imprint of Musa Publishing, presents 2012 Young Adult Writing Contests. Euterpe Young Adult Books is currently accepting submissions for short stories to be published 4 times throughout 2012. Our 2012 contest theme will be End of the World. Submissions due September 1, 2012

Multi-themed stories are welcome, as long as the main theme is present in the story. Prize is publication of the winning stories by Musa Publishing.

RULES

1. Entries will be divided into two age groups: 11-15 and 16-21. One grand prize winner and 1st through 6th place winners will be chosen from each category. In case of a low number of entries, Musa retains the right to combine or modify categories.

2. Stories should be between 1,500 and 7,500 words, or roughly 6-30 pages, double spaced.

3. Stories should be appropriate for publication under Euterpe, the Young Adult imprint of Musa. Authors should keep in mind that readers will be both teens and adults.

4. For contest winners under 18 who are offered a publication contract, an adult or legal guardian must sign the contract.

5. Contest grand prize winner will receive a $25 Musa gift certificate and publication of the winning manuscript. 1st-3rd place winners will receive a $20 Musa gift certificate and 4th-6th place winners will receive a $10 Musa gift certificate.

6. Authors may submit more than one story, as long as each story adheres to the theme in some way.

7. Submit all stories to EuterpeYAContest@gmail.com, in the body of an email (no attachments).

8. Please format your subject line with age group, title in all caps, and name. It should look like this: 11-15, TITLE OF STORY, Name of Author.

9. Proofread! Spelling, grammar, and usage count! Read your story out loud before you submit it to make sure it makes sense.

10. Contracts offered to young adult authors will involve the same rights, responsibilities and benefits as those offered to any other author. That contract can be found here (http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/p/musa-contract.html) . Its elements will include: standard rate of royalties, manuscript edited for publication, cover art provided, formatted for multiple electronic formats, help with marketing story, listing on Musa’s and Euterpe’s websites, as well as 3rd party sites such as Amazon and Fictionwise.

11. There is no charge to enter this contest.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: EuterpeYAContest@gmail.com

Website: http://euterpe-ya.blogspot.com

Magazine Submissions

The Savage Consortium is seeking submissions of prose (2,500 words max), poetry (1-5 pages), translations, hybrids, artwork and photography. Multiple submissions accepted. Experimental work welcome.

The Savage Consortium appreciates work exhibiting intelligence and creativity, socio-political-cultural awareness, and humor.

The Savage Consortium accepts electronic and hardcopy submissions. All submissions must include the writer’s contact information on the first page: name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Include a SASE with your hardcopy submission if you would like a reply.

Prose submissions should be sent to:
monkeypuzzlepress.prose@gmail.com

Poetry submissions should be sent to:
monkeypuzzlepress.poetry@gmail.com

All other submissions should be sent to:
monkeypuzzlepress@gmail.com

Monkey Puzzle Press
PO Box 20804
Boulder, CO 80308

DEADLINE

November 15, 2012

Upon publication, all contributors will receive a complimentary issue.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

4th ANNUAL FLASH FICTION CONTEST!

First Prize: $300.00 plus publication

Second Prize: $150.00 plus publication

Third Prize: $50.00 plus publication

10$ entry fee

RULES

Submit one story per entry, 1000 words or less.

We won’t be judging stories based on any particular content or context, just send your best piece of flash fiction! Please keep in mind that we do appreciate work exhibiting socio-political-cultural awareness and humor. To get an idea for the kind of work we like, check out our Magazine page for free downloads of past issues of Monkey Puzzle.

All submissions must include the writer’s contact information on the first page: name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Include a SASE if you would like a reply via USPS.

To submit via e-mail:

1. Send your submission to: monkeypuzzlepress.prose@gmail.com (put “Flash Fiction Contest” in the subject line)
2. Pay entry fee via PayPal

To submit via snail-mail:

1. Mail your submission and entry fee (check or money order payable to Monkey Puzzle Press) to:

Monkey Puzzle Press
PO Box 20804
Boulder, CO   80308
Attn: Flash Fiction Contest

Winners will be published in our next literary journal project:

THE SAVAGE CONSORTIUM

All entries will be considered for publication.

Contest Judge: Nicholas B. Morris, author of Tapeworm

(Click here for a PDF flyer)

 

DEADLINE
August 15, 2012 (postmarked)

Watch

Peabody Award-Winning

South African Drama Series

'InterSEXions'

(2nd Season Casting)

Television 

by Tambay A. Obenson

July 31, 2012

 

 

I'm only just learning about this South African episodic drama series titled InterSEXions, which comprises of 25 independent but interrelated episodes that follow how the HIV virus affects a chain of people, although it tries not to present itself as an overtly HIV/AIDS drama series.

Sponsored by Johns Hopkins Health and Education in South Africa, the 25 inter-connected but independent stories start and end with Episode 1, essentially bringing the series-arc full-circle.

From a wedding in a well-to-do suburb North of Johannesburg, when the wife, while dressing for her wedding, hears on the radio that a well-known DJ is dying of an AIDS-related illness - a DJ who had been her lover a few years before; to the story of the young bride and the DJ five years before; to the story of the DJ and his other lover; to the story of the DJ's other lover and her lover, and so on.

The episodes are said to be told with a mixture of live-action and animation, as it takes the audience on a journey, exploring the individual relationships, and eventually back to the wedding at the beginning of the series.

It was first broadcast in South Africa on SABC1 in October 2010, and was apparently enough of a hit that a second season is in the works.

As Screen Africa announces today: 

Quizzical Pictures will stage auditions for members of the public to win roles in the second series of the multiple award-winning SABC1 drama InterSEXions, which is currently in pre-production. The first round of auditions for Intersexions II takes place in Johannesburg on 4 August, at the Bassline club at 10 Henry Nxumalo Street, in Newtown. People wishing to audition should prepare one of four roles, which can be accessed on www.facebook.com/pages/InterSEXions, and they may audition in any of the country’s official languages. Cast members from Intersexions I, including Thato Molamo and Noxee Maqashalala, will be on hand to give prospective TV stars audition tips, and share what playing in the first series has done for their acting careers.

I found episodes from InterSEXions season 1 on YouTube, and embedded the first part below, for a glimpse at this locally and internationally-acclaim series that won an unprecedented 13 South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) earlier this year, as well as a Peabody Award.

Watch:

HEALTH CARE SERVICES

FOR WOMEN

August 1, 2012: Birth control methods such as the pill and IUDs are fully covered by insurance as of today, thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

A multitude of other preventative services for women are now also available at no cost, including annual checkups, HPV testing, pap swears, mammograms for women over 40, HIV counseling and domestic violence counseling. Hooray! [photo via Ultraviolet]

Heartbreaking, Picturesque

Colombian Drama

'Chocó' Gets A Trailer

News  

by Tambay A. Obenson

 

August 1, 2012

It's titled simply Chocó, a film set in Colombia, which centers on the struggles of a 27-year-old mother of 2 (the titular Chocó), working a poorly-paid job in a gold mine, living in a tiny wooden hut, who's married to a reckless and abusive man named Everlides, a marimba player who gambles away their life savings.

Further...

... She truly believes that things will get better. But then she loses her job, her daughter wants her birthday cake and Everlides spends the last of their savings. Chocó finds herself standing in the village shop she passes every day and in front of which Everlides drinks away all their money and loses at dominoes. She looks at the colourful cakes on the counter. You won’t get anything for nothing here, the fat shopkeeper reminds her. If you want a cake, I want you.

The film is producer and screenwriter Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza’s directorial debut.

It premiered at the Berlinale in February this year, in its Panorama section. S&A was repped at Berlin this year thankfully, with reviews provided by Denise VanDeCruze. She saw Chocó and reviewed it mostly positively, with some reservations, HERE.

All we've had until today in terms of looks at the film is a 7-minute behind-the-scenes video of Chocó; an official trailer has finally surfaced, and is embedded below (sorry - like the preview before it, it's not subtitled in English; but I'm definitely sucked in by the images I see here, and would like to check this out). No word on where it'll screen next, or if it'll travel stateside. I suspect one of the few African Diaspora film festivals in the USA have their eyes on it for later this year:

Trailer Oficial CHOCÓ de Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza from PROIMAGENES COLOMBIA on Vimeo.

__________________________

Chocó: Berlin Film Review

The Bottom Line

>via: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/choc-berlin-film-review-295142

__________________________

Another review from S&A reader 

Denise VanDeCruze:

I totally understand why the director of Chocó, Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, cried while introducing the movie’s premiere at the Berlinale.  He spoke about the fact that this was the first time that a story about Afro-Columbians would be told on film.  It was a monumental moment because although there are more blacks in South America than North America, they are absent in media representations. Part of the reason I was relentlessly teased as a child was because my black American school mates did not believe I was from South America because I was black.

Chocó began with the beauty of rural Colombia, the singing of an Afro-Columbian spiritual gathering, and a sunset.  The pseudo-documentary style leaves you unprepared for the violent bits that follow.  The first time we meet the georgeous protagenist, Chocó, she is being raped by her husband, a drunk abusive musician who gambles.  He has only one sober scene, one in which his face is not shown.  Otherwise he has two adjectives and one tragic certainty.  He is the cause of everything and the center of nothing. Chocó is holding it down for her two kids.  She nurses memories of her new unbruised love with her husband and hopes of building a better life for her children who are already scarred from the abusive household.  She is the mule of the movie that rebels the way mules do – with blind determination.

Between the heartbreak, there is a lush glimpse of paradise lost.  The filmmaker made it clear that he wanted to paint a portrait that mirrored reality.  Listen to the podcast below for a more in-depth explanation. He grew up on the roads in the film and wrote what he saw.  But I left with an ache in the pit of my stomach about this movie because I knew I could not shake it.  It exhausted me.  I want to forget parts of it.  I know that this story happens but the fact that stories of black trauma are so often the only representations of blackness I see on film. In particular, I have never seen a dark-skinned black woman on screen as a main character that was not being abused in some way. In the podcast, you will hear me ask the director if he was afraid of reinforcing stereotypes with this movie.  He is an Afro-Columbian and I don’t think that was his intention.

The acting was superb. I believed every minute, every scene.  The children were perfectly casted and many scenes were a mixture of documentary and and staged scenes.  One can’t determine who is acting and who is not.  This allows the climax to have a powerful and lasting impact. Yet little is revealed about the inner-workings of its main characters leaving the audience to endure brutal events that have little emotional context.

Although this movie is powerful and technically well made and superbly acted, I was not clear about what I could walk away from it with.  I don’t think it is film’s job to give me a feel-good message or to always paint pretty pictures of people of color.  Yet the rarity of representative images coupled with the pathology of the images of black folks in media creates a context that requires more from filmmakers that just a good story.  The myth of black pathology is always a good story but it is over-told.

>via: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/berlinale-2012-review-of-afro-colombi...

The African Cities Reader

July 27, 2012

Posted by: Bongani Kona

“Pick up any academic or popular publication that deals with urban life in Africa and be prepared to be overrun by caricature, hyperbole, stereotypes and moralistic hogwash,” declarers the preface to the first instalment of The African Cities Reader. “It is almost impossible to get any meaningful purchase on what is actually going on in the vibrant markets, streets, pavements, taxi ranks, hotel lobbies, drinking halls, clubs, bedrooms, rooftops, gardens, dump sites, beach fronts, river edges, cemeteries, garages, basements, and other liminal spaces of daily life and the imaginary.”

Published jointly by the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town and Chimurenga Magazine the reader is a “journal-like platform where Africans tell their own stories, draw their own maps and represent their own spatial topographies”. With submissions from writers such as Teju Cole (Open City), Chris Abani (Graceland) and Jonny Steinberg (Little Liberia) among others, the result is an extraordinary and exhilarating mix of reportage, history and self-writing. The complete first and second editions of The African Cities Reader are up for download.

__________________________

>via: http://www.africancitiesreader.org.za/reader.php