The Toronto Black Film Festival: Showcasing Black Excellence in Film
Black History Month is a time for all of us to gather and remember the great contributions that black people of African descent have...
Black History Month is a time for all of us to gather and remember the great contributions that black people of African descent have made to the world in the past and the contributions that they continue to make today. Since 2013 the Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF) has been a much needed staple in my city’s black history month celebration (Torontoblackfilm.com). The festival is a celebration of Black/African cultures through films that recount historical events, folklore, and perspectives from regions of the world/countries by black filmmakers of African descent. TBFF is actually a type of sister festival to the Montreal International Film Festival (MIFF) which was started in 2005 by the Fabienne Colas Foundation. Upon the disappointment and shock that no Montreal festival would show the film for which she had won best actress for in her native Haiti, Ms. Colas and two friends, Real Barnabe and Emile Castonguay started the foundation as a way to give a platform to those who aren’t being seen or heard in the world of the arts. Since its inception the Fabienne Colas Foundation has been showcase to over 2,000 artists and has tens of thousands of participants each year in its initiatives, festivals and activities.
This year’s TBFF takes place from February 10th-14th, 2016. The festival has many ways to participate other than watching films; one can also attend panel discussions, special interviews, and many parties. I am quite happy to say that this year I will be participating in the TBFF by way of presenting a film! The film I will be presenting at TBFF is called White Water, directed by Rusty Cundieff, the synopsis is as follows: “White Water, based on a true story, follows the adventures of Michael, a black youth in segregated 1963 Opelika, Alabama. He becomes obsessed with his desire to taste the water from the “white’s only” drinking fountain and sets out on a quest to do the unthinkable: drink from it.”- See more at: http://torontoblackfilm.com/festival/#/film/38 (follow the link to see the exciting trailer). It also happens that Mr. Rusty Cundieff will be present for a brief Q&A after the showing of the film! As a Black Canadian I feel that it’s very important to share stories of the Black diaspora, especially since it wasn’t heavily focused on in the school curriculum when I grew up.
Although Toronto is the most diverse city in the world, there are still moments of discrimination and prejudice due to lack of understanding between cultures. Film is definitely a way to educate and allow for healing and empathy amongst people. There may be some out there like Stacey Dash, who recently shared that she sees no need for a Black History Month or a BET Network as they encourage “segregation”. Her comments were hypocritical and just plain unintelligent as she has benefitted from appearing on networks such as BET and appearing in “Black” movies and music videos. I think what Ms. Dash fails to see is that positive ethnic focused spaces actually allow individuals a place of belonging and relation. If it weren’t for TV programs such as The Cosby Show and Fresh Prince of Bel Air, no one would have even heard of her; perhaps she wouldn’t even have gone as far as to star in Clueless, which is easily the role she is most known for. Just like the Black film festivals started by Fabienne Colas, these spaces let the stories of those who’ve been overlooked and oppressed shine though. The 2012 MIFF represented 40 countries; there are black people of African descent all over the
world and we all do things differently. For example, the Black film festivals in Canada are bi-lingual because our country has two official languages -- English and French. Many Africans are drawn to living in Canada because they speak the French language due to the French colonies that were established in parts of Africa and the Caribbean.
Whether you think along the lines of Stacey Dash or are on Team Jada Pinkett-Smith with the #OscarsSoWhite boycott, you have to agree that Black/African culture is rich and diverse. Diversity isn’t just about placing one token “Black” person in a film and calling that representation; it’s about allowing many Black/African artists to contribute in their own way (and win awards if the performance is moving), not based on stereotypes that poorly and inaccurately reflect the different cultures. I’m glad that the Toronto Black Film festival has made its debut in my city and gives a place to the unique and vibrant voices of Black/African cultures to be seen, heard and most of all, enjoyed by everyone! - Asha Mullings
For more about the Toronto Black Film Festival and to purchase tickets, click here.
The Big Birds of Toronto Hip Hop: From Kardinal to Drake
Being a rapper from Toronto, it’s only natural that I want to pay homage to the rappers and emcees that came before me and made it possible for our hip hop community to exist. It’s not hard to see why most Americans used to just see Toronto as the land of ice, syrup and hockey, until Drake put “The 6” on the map, but it didn’t happen overnight. Before Toronto was the 6 it was actually called the Tdot and many still refer to it as that today. Tdot and other Toronto slang words like Moretimes (usually), Gyal (women), Screwface (an angry facial expression that is either used for actual anger or just to be cool) and Still (used at the end of a sentence for emphasis) came from rapper Kardinal Offishall. When Kardinall burst onto the scene in the late 90’s, it was no easy task. There were no hip hop/rap radio stations in Canada so we all had to tune in WBLK in Buffalo, NY (if the signal was available) to find out what was hot and fresh with hip hop. That is probably why today so many Canadians really watch the American hip hop/rap scene; y’all had yours going strong from the get go while we were just trying to be heard.
Never the less, facing exclusion, what is believed to be outright racism and limited methods of actually getting signed/viewed, Kardinal Offishall was one of the originals to breakthrough and take our hip hop culture to the mainstream. After he, Checkmate, Thurst, Choclair and Rascalz recorded the song “Northern Touch”, things really began to take off. It made people know who we are and that we are here to stay. That song was the first hip hop song in Canada to make it to the top 100 in the country and actually get widespread airplay in Canada and internationally. Fast forward a few years later and we now have a multitude of websites for artists to try and put themselves on. We got HiphopCanada, Hiphop.ca, CanadianDope, MUCH and so many other ways to get noticed. On any given weekend there’s a hip hop show happening somewhere in Toronto. So how is it that the average person thinks that our boy Drizzy Drake is the only rapper from Toronto to make it?
Like most rappers, Drake didn’t have it easy growing up; although people like to debate about it, he did struggle in a single parent household. Despite the odds Drake was able to climb his way to the top and become the most successful rapper from Toronto thus far. Although he rose to fame quickly in the eyes of most people, let’s not forget about his humble beginnings as “Wheelchair Jimmy” on Degrassi High: The Next Generation, a popular Canadian teen melodrama based in Toronto. I think it’s a combination of things that made Drake so successful so quickly; For one, by the time Drake put out his first mix tape in 2006, the Canadian hip hop scene was well established; he already had visibility from being an actor and no doubt some connections in the industry. Let’s also consider the fact that Drake is also a songwriter and a producer. Because we don’t see what’s going on behind the scenes, it’s easy to assume that he just bought his way to the top, but you can’t buy talent! Drake is able to create music that appeals not only to Toronto, but the rest of the hip hop world as well. It’s clear that Drake is where he should be and it all happens for a reason. In addition to these things with Drake comes drama; no offence, but the guy is all over the news! Most Toronto rappers like the ones who came before seldom get involved in fights, baby mama drama and what not… well at least not in the public eye anyway. Mainstream Canadian media isn’t quite in tune with the hip hop world like it should be, but maybe Drake is the key to opening that door. I think it’s time we start keeping up with the Torontonians. With the creation of his OVO label, Drake and partner Noah “40” Shebib are giving back and helping to pave the way for more Canadian artists such as the Weeknd and PartyNextDoor.
My advice to anyone yearning for a spot in the hip hop hall of fame better get some new hats and no I’m not talking about Kangol! I’m talking about versatility. I say learn everything about the game you can and add to your portfolio. If you can rap, but you can’t sing, try learning to dance. If you can’t make beats, try writing songs for other artists. Pick up a skill like directing, graphic design or even try managing another artist. All in all it’s the talent that makes you unique as an artist, but in today’s market if you want success, you really gotta work! - Asha Mullings