Txan Film Productions and Visual Arts, Inc. is proud to announce CONTRACT, a new 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

The aim of Guenny Pires is to explore aspects of African Diaspora history and culture that are not widely known or are normally overlooked in mainstream popular and scholarly discourse. In the docudrama, Contract, which was filmed on the Cape Verde Islands and in the United States in Portuguese and English (with subtitles and narrative) tells the compelling story of two African countries (Cape Verde and São Tome and Príncipe) forever linked by a history of poverty and slavery, and two people forever linked by the unbreakable bonds of family and love. This docudrama is not only a powerful emotional experience it is also a solid look into the past and the legacy of Slavery. This is a must see Black History Month film.

Pires is participating in the Pan African Film Festival for the second time, The Journey of Cape Verde was an entry in the 13th annual 2005 festival and it is now a internationally acclaimed documentary “The Journey of Cape Verde” gained vast attention in Italy, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Cape Verde, Brazil, and US, winning awards and leaving marks at events such as the African Film Festival. During the Pan African Film Festival, this documentary became the first Cape Verdean film screened in Hollywood.

In Search of My Identity
• Explores questions related to the Cape Verdean identity, race, religion, ethnicity, art, music, language and contemporaneous social issues.
• Refers back to the Portuguese colonial days of slavery and the Post-colonial African liberation movement in the Republic of Cape Verde, Guine Bissau, Senegal, and Ghana.
• Narrating stories while tracing the roots and presents a culture, as it has never been seen before. The film shows how life experiences and struggles create encounters between generations, cultures, and histories.
• Providing the audience with an understanding of this overlooked Creole cultures and how the Cape Verdean people for centuries have left their country to find a better life around the world.
• What was lost in the trans-Atlantic slave trade?
• How has Western Society been using economical power to recreate a new African identity?
• What is affecting the Black Community in US today?
• The birth of the Creole Language. How, where and when?
• Jews in Cape Verde and West African Coast.
Portuguese Kings Joao II and especially Manuel I in 1496, determined to exile thousands of Jews to Sao Tome, Principe, and Cape Verde. Up until the end of the 15th century Lisbon, Portugal was the place where the Spanish businessmen purchased their slaves.

Guenny Pires’s personal quest to discover his true identity takes him on a journey across the Atlantic, building a cultural relationship from the West Coast of Africa to Western societies. What is my real identity?

In Search of My Identity is a Txan Film production that has been filming in 15 different countries.

Executive Producer: Jeremy C. Gredone, Guenny K. Pires & Txan Film Productions & Visual Arts, Inc.;
Writer, producer and director: Guenny K. Pires;
Editors:  Txan Film and Jeremy C. Gredone;
Original music: Djim Job;
Mix (Color & BW);
Format: 16/9 HDV.

“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 new 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.)

“Local Ties, Global Reach.”

New England’s largest film festival dedicated to celebrating people of color, RIFF. From Thursday (July 29) and runs through Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010. Presented by The Color of Film Collaborative and ACT Roxbury, a program of Madison Park Development Corporation, RIFF screened 52 films including features, shorts, documentaries, and youth-produced works over those four days.

Festival highlights include Asian and Cape Verdean-themed pictures as well as films by local Afro-Americans. CONTRACT became the first Cape Verdean and São Tomé and Príncipe movie to be recipient of an “Award For Best Documentary Filmmaking.”

“Wowww! This is great for São Tomé and Príncipe. I’m honored to representing my country Cape Verde and Africa. This film is not only a powerful emotional experience it is also a solid look into the past and the legacy of Slavery.” Said Guenny K. Pires during the 30 min questions and answers (Q&A.)”

Watch the trailer:

CONTRACT was the first Cape Verdean and São Tomé e Príncipe movie recipient of the “Audience Favorite Docudrama Award” at the 18th annual Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, California, which took place February 10th to 17th of this year.

“Lovely and touching“, said Ayuko Babu, Executive Director, PAFF.

“Beautifully filmed as well, its images go back and forth from city streets plagued by yellow taxi cabs to nature and cocoa fields, from poverty ridden contract workers who have lost their life time on a free planet to magnificent scenery, forests, and waterfalls. It’s a journey not only for the contract workers who receiving 10 cents per day and a $10 life retirement from the São Tomé and Príncipe government are valued less than a thing, less than animals, but also for the film maker who returns to his roots in the making of this film about people whose only wish for life is “to keep working until the day I die”.” commented Sylvie Baeza, Correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle

About Us

Txan Film Productions & Visual Arts, Inc. is a four-member production company based in Los Angeles, California that produces audiovisual materials (documentaries, docudramas, fiction films, etc.) that relate to the societies and cultures of Africa and the African Diaspora in the Atlantic region (islands of the Caribbean, Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe) and the Americas. We aim to explore aspects of African Diaspora history and culture that are not widely known or are normally overlooked in mainstream popular and scholarly discourse. Our first series of projects focuses on Cape Verde, an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean some 370 miles off the coast of West Africa. We are in the process of developing six feature-length documentary films that examine the rich culture and varied life experiences of Cape Verdeans in Cape Verde and around the world, covering such diverse themes as history, art and festival life, music, education, language, politics, socio-economic and environment issues, immigration and globalization.
“All true art must help the soul to realize its inner self…” Gandhi

The positive exposure and development of Cape Verdean, Portuguese speaking countries, and Africa culture is at the forefront of mutual our objectives. We share the important objective of economic development of the African people and we concur with your belief that as Africans “we must assume responsibility to develop a clear strategy for Africa’s future that takes advantage of all of its human capabilities and natural resources.”

Today, the Islands continue to serve as a gateway to welcome Western Nations to the doorstep of Africa. Therefore exposing the beauty and the continued development and stability of the archipelago brings continued focus to this part of the world, which will allow for further investment in infrastructure development to boost tourism which serves as an engine of growth and improves competitiveness.

Showing the beauty, the historical basis of the Islands and the character of the people in film festivals give Cape Verde, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and other African nations, provide unprecedented exposure that these countries would not have had otherwise. Our objectives are rooted in our personal passions and ties to our country and to this part of the world. This passion and historical legacy have driven us to achieve great accomplishments to date, notwithstanding very limited budget allocations.

Guenny K. Pires, filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA, a pioneer in film making from his native country Cape Verde, brings his vast cinematographic experience to one the most important Film Festival in the US. He is a multi award-winning filmmaker dedicated to bringing the history and culture of his native Cape Verde to the world’s attention.

Independent filmmaker Mr. Pires explores overlooked aspects of the African Diaspora in his docudrama, “CONTRACT,” filmed in the Cape Verde Islands, Sao Tome and Principe, and in the United States. The film is in Creole, Portuguese and with English subtitles and narrative. It tells the compelling story of two African countries (Cape Verde and São Tomé and Principe) forever linked by a history of poverty and slavery, and two people forever linked by the unbreakable bonds of family and love.

His first feature film, “The Journey of Cape Verde”, was an international landmark project that made a wide audience aware of the fascinating archipelago nation for the first time.

“The Journey of Cape Verde” won awards and left an important imprint at events such as the Pan African Film & Arts Festival, Lusophone Film Festival, Images 2005, Moondance Film Festival, Athens International Film Video Festival, Madeira Biennial, just to name a few. During the Pan African Film Festival, this documentary became the first Cape Verdean film with two screenings in Hollywood.

Guenny’s projects include film work with Noam Chomsky, an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and political activist.

The aim of Guenny Pires is to explore aspects of African Diaspora history and culture that are not widely known or are normally overlooked by mainstream popular and scholarly discourse. Guenny’s films work progressively to explore not only what it is to be Cape Verdean but also what it is to be human.

“With this film I wanted to try to understand how my people is living in Sao Tome and Principe today. The film documents my journey to reunite my uncle with his family 44 years later. As many others he had a big dream but his life conditions end up worse than slavery, living with less than .50 cents per day,” said Mr. Pires.

Recently, CONTRACT was screened at the Lusophone Film Festival at the University of Massachusetts in Boston on March 27, 2010, at the Portuguese and Brazilian Film Festival on May 6, 2010, and in Cape Verde at the National Auditorium on May 28, 2010. This screening was included in the 35 years of Cape Verdean Independence and the Day of Africa Celebrations. The only African movie presented at Belize’s 5th International Film Festival. “For the first time we had a film representing Africa. We’re proud of this director Mr. Pires. CONTRACT is an incredible story.” Said Suzette Zayden, Executive Director, BIFF:

CONTRACT has screenings scheduled in US, Canada, and Italy (August/September), Portugal, France, São Tomé and Príncipe (October), Holland, Luxemburg (November) Germany, Austria (December) and many more venues around the world.

Txan Film Productions & Visual Arts, Inc.

For Screenings or Lecturing Engagements, please contact:

Txan Film Productions & Visual Arts, Inc.

4284 La Salle Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90062

Email: txanfilmproductions@gmail.com
Website: txanfilm.com
www.youtube.com/user/txanfilm

CONTRACT tells the compelling story of two African countries (Cape Verde and São Tome and Príncipe) forever linked by a history of poverty and slavery, and two people forever linked by the unbreakable bonds of family and love.
It tells the story of Cape Verdean indentured servants who left their homes for a better life only to be bound by “contracts” that won’t ever be paid off. The film, at its heart, also documents the filmmaker’s journey to reunite his uncle, an indentured servant as well, with his family, 44 years after leaving home on a contract. This film is not only a powerful emotional experience, it is an in-depth look into the past and the legacy of slavery.

It’s an intense journey not only for the contract workers, receiving 10 cents per day and a $10 life retirement from the São Tomé and Príncipe government, but also for the filmmaker who returns to his roots in the making of this film.

CONTRACT, was filmed in the Cape Verde Islands, São Tomé & Príncipe, Portugal, and the United States.

With archival materials and discussion from Professor Dr. Noam Chomsky, Dr. Richard Jr. Lobban, Dr. Peter Mendy, Filmmaker and Writer Ike Karnick and others, footage includes interviews with artists, historians, and contract workers providing reflections on the history, people, culture, and music of Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe.

CONTRACT was nominated for the Audience Award for Favorite Documentary during the 18th edition of the Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF.)

CONTRACT became the first Cape Verdean and São Tomé & Príncipe film ever to be the recipient of an “Award For Best Documentary Filmmaking.” www.riff.org
Everyone should see this film. Narrated in English. The languages: Creole (Cape Verdean and São Tomé and Príncipe,) English, and Portuguese with English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish subtitles.

» Buy the Films

» Check 2010 Pan African Film Festival to learn more about this film.

Credits

Executive Producers: Txan Film Productions & Visual Arts, Inc.,

Jeremy C. Gredone, Guenny K. Pires
Written, Directed & Produced by Guenny K. Pires
Edited by: TFPVA, Cedric Obanoon & Jeremy C. Gredone
Producer Manager: Barbara Andrade
Camera & Sound: Jorge Baluka, Napoleon Tavares & Vasco A.R. Pires
Producer Consultant: Chris Cuben, Ike Karnick, Kurt Jones, Michael Lange &

Steve Pina
Musical Director: Djim Job
Assistant Producer 1: Adriana Santos, Jorge Timas, Carlinhos Brito
Assistant Producer 2: Fernando Delgado, Henrietta K. da Costa &

Marcos R. Velhinho
Format: HDV | The film is available in both of color and black and white
Countries: Cape Verde, Portugal, United States, São Tomé, and Príncipe.
Genre: Docudrama
Duration: 79 minutes

Road of the Sea, is a feature documentary film from Txan Film Productions & Visual Arts, Inc. Created, Produced, and Directed by Guenny K. Pires.

Being Cape Verdean, our identity is constantly challenged.
This film connects you to the history of the Cape Verde Islands – where Africa ends and the New World begins.

Also includes discussion of Cape Verdean captains and their transatlantic voyages.
Connects with both African American and Hispanic history.

Why exist a large Jewish community?
Over the centuries Cape Verde Islands, became a harbor of Jews fleeing European persecution or in search of economic opportunities. The Portuguese king granted a Royal Charter in 1466 to have the right” to trade in slaves for Portuguese residing in Cape Verde.

Why did the Cape Verde Islands become the First Slavery Port?
How do people in our society currently view the Slave Trade?

Cape Verde Islands became the first slave port of West Africa, whose many mixed race inhabitants have migrated and formed communities in the Unite States, Caribbean, Africa, and Europe.

Cape Verde Islands is not very well known to the world. A former Portuguese colony independent since 1975 however the Cape Verdean society existed for more than five centuries.

Formed by mixed population of European and African slaves provides a unique story of the complexities of migration, political, race, and ethnic identity.

Everyone should see this film. Narrated in English. The languages: Creole (Cape Verdean) English, and Portuguese with English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish subtitles.

Tamil Community from US gave his voices to support freedom and peace in Sri Lanka.

Marked as spam”The SriLankan Army attacks are war crimes, and are directly in contravention of international humanitarian law and principles of human rights. SriLankan government is doing Systematic Genocide on Tamils. A heartfelt thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please keep on working peace in Sri Lanka.”

“Recent UN release: 6,500 dead and 14,500 seriously injured by SriLankan government forces in the last 3 months alone.”

Many view points, many degrees of suffering, many questions for just one answer, people must live in peace, and with his dignity.

A fantastic film about Genocide, created to help the people of Tamil and the world.

Award For Best Short Documentary, 2009 Atlanta Film Festival

Everyone can watch this film.

Credits:

Title: Genocide in Sri Lanka
Executive Producers: Jeremy C. Gredone, Guenny K. Pires
Directed & Produced by Guenny K. Pires
Edited by: Txan Film Productions & Visual Arts, Inc.,
Producer Manager: Barbara Andrade
Format: HDV
Aspect Ratio: 16/9
Postproduction: Txan Film Productions Visual Arts, Inc.
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 13 minutes

SYNOPSIS

What is Cape Verdeanity? Who am I as Cape Verdean?

A young Cape Verdean lad from the island of Fogo is forced to face his past, present and future in search of his true identity Cape Verdeanity.

The Journey of Cape Verde deals with the central theme of Cape Verdeanity as it relates to ethnicity, race, culture, history and other social questions facing the Cape Verdean people.

Allegedly, discovered by Portugal in 1460, Cape Verde became the first slavery port of West Africa in early 1700s where slaves were sold to the crown of Spanish, French and later to the English for their colonies in the New World: Americas and the Caribbean.

The Journey of Cape Verde is a feature documentary film shot over a period of four years. The film develops through a series of journeys through the islands of Cape Verde and her immigrant communities of USA, Portugal, France, island of Madeira, S. Tome and Angola.

I know how I got here, but I would like to know and understand where Im going.
Which route am I to follow to reach my destiny?
Being Cape Verdean, our identity is constantly challenged

What does it mean to be Cape Verdean?

This is one the key questions that propelled filmmaker Guenny K. Pires to make
THE JOURNEY OF CAPE VERDE, an 83-minute documentary film.

The film, completed in 2005, explores issues of culture, identity, and community in Cape Verde and in the growing Cape Verdean Diaspora (portions of the film were shot in New Bedford, Nantucket and Providence).

Narrated in Creole, English, Portuguese, and French (with English and Portuguese subtitles).

The first Cape Verdean film with two exhibitions in Hollywood.

Diploma of Merit 2005 Pan African Film & Arts Festival.
Award Favorite Audience 2005 Athens International Film Video Festival.
Award Best Cape Verdean Movie 2005 Imargens Film Festival.