Guenny Pires (Pan African Film Maker)

ZOZIMO BULBUL, the Black Filmmaker

Here’s a 2-page Synopsis that you can download from this website.

Watch the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy1aRpTjqeE&list=UU8EaZSVSRIP1wc6oKincowg&index=2

SYNOPSIS

“Every picture tells a story.” Rod Stewart.

ZOZIMO BULBUL, the Black Filmmaker is a 56-min. biopic tracing the Filmmaker’s turbulent life including his academic and audiovisual career while faced with racial prejudice through the decades in Brazil. Forced into exile from his beloved Brazil, he chose other stops as a way to cultivate and establish himself in the film world. A beautiful and touching story, fantastically narrated by famous stage Actor, Michael Lange. It provides a rich filmography of Bulbul’s 30 plus films from around the world.

Bulbul was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1937. A famous Actor, Filmmaker and Screenwriter. Bulbul stood out in his parents’ eyes at an early age and masterfully achieved international acclaim with his career later in life. He is an icon and considered as one of the greatest exponents of African-Brazilian cinema of the ’60s and ’70s. He is a proponent of Black value in society and rejects the stereotype of the “lazy slave” or marginal in their work. He is mindful of his commitment to social consciousness like racial democracy and the teaching of African-Brazilian history in schools.

He is the first Black protagonist of a Brazilian soap opera (Lives in Conflict) as Leila Diniz’s boyfriend. http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidas_em_Conflito Besides acting, he worked as a Director and Screenwriter; notably in New York, Paris and Africa. His most famous work in cinematography was ‘Abolition’ where the Director narrates the centenary of the Abolition of Slavery in Brazil.

In 1974, Bulbul directed a short film, ‘Soul In The Eye’ which featured the music of John Coltrane. The 8-min film (left over film negatives from Antunes Filho, ‘Standby Compass’) disclosed the culture and survival of enslaved Africans brought to the Americas. Held accountable for censorship violation, this film caused him to be jailed for a few days.

To the milicos (police) it’s not possible that a Black could create such cultivated work but Zózimo declared a few days later, he made the short film at the behest of his friend, poet (and diplomat) Vinicius de Morais. In light of this disconcerting statement, he was immediately released. From this ordeal, the concept of Black Cinema was founded. This is just one of the many inspiring stories surrounding this film.

“What could be a harassment to co-opt him to deny its origin further strengthened its blackness” Rebel from the beginning of his career, rubs his letter of manu mission film in the face of who you intend to frame it.

The film also focuses on issues of identity, race and social issues. Who are the Blacks of today? What does it mean to work on Brazilian TV as a Black performer over a White performer? What is the Brazilian identity? The film also shows racial problems in Brazil, South Africa and the U.K.

The history of racism told through a Black voice and a visual journey back to the days of slavery. This film is a true revelation of what is now the Brazilian Cinema.

In Search of My Identity

A new film by Guenny K. Pires

Los Angeles, CA – June 8th, 2012 – Txan Film, an award winning independent film and visual art production company, dedicated to responsible and culturally relevant productions, representing the Pan-African Diaspora, announces the Premiere East Coast screening of In Search of My Identity as part of the 14th Edition of the Roxbury International Film Festival, 2pm on Sunday, June 17th, 2012.

In Search of My Identity is the latest film produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Guenny K. Pires.  The 89-minute documentary feature explores Cape Verde’s diverse and multicultural peoples within the context of the slave trade, and chronicles the director’s personal journey, through 15 countries, between the West Coast of Africa and the East Coast of the Americas,
particularly Brazil, Aruba, Belize, Cuba, Saint Vincent, Jamaica, and United States, in search of his origin and the origin of his Cape Verdean peoples.
“Making this film was a chance for me to self-examine my African roots, to delve deeper into African history and to uncover a past not represented, offered, or taught in academic settings or Western historical documents for which my education was based,” says Pires.

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CONTRACT, a film by Guenny K. Pires

Txan Film Productions and Visual Arts, Inc. is proud to announce CONTRACT, a film by Guenny Pires, independent film maker and an native son of Cape Verde, West Africa, will be premiering at the 18th annual Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, California, the screening is February 13, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. for detailed information go to their site Pan African Film Festival.
[...]

Contract Wins Best Documentary Filmmaking

PRESS RELEASE

“CONTRACT wins Award For Best Documentary Filmmaking”

Los Angeles, August 2, 2010: Txan Film Productions and Visual Arts, Inc. once again is proud to announce CONTRACT, a docudrama film written, produced & directed by Guenny K. Pires, was screened at Hibernian Hall, Saturday July 31, 2010 @ 7:45pm (184 Dudley St., Roxbury MA 02119.) at the 12th Annual Roxbury International Film Festival (RIFF.) [...]