Victor Nze
11 November 2009
Barely weeks after bagging the Jury Prize for Best Feature Film at the 8th Urban Mediamakers Film Festival (UMFF) 2009 in Metro-Atlanta, the film; Sabar, life is a dance, has again won the Audience Choice Award and at the film festival following a majority 'yes' vote the film garnered at the film fest.
"We are indeed excited and humbled to have received the two top awards at this major film festival," said Chike Nwoffiah, Producer and Director of the film.
With the theme, "Changing the World, One Story at a Time," the UMFF 2009 showcased over 100 films that spoke to various life experiences of people of African, Asian and Latino descent, as well as social issues that need attention.
The award ceremony was held, Saturday, October 17, at the Marriott Hotel - Norcross with filmmakers, writers and some industry heavyweights in attendance.
Starring Bunmi DeRosario, Kenesha Mayfield, Curtis Campbell, David Ali, Naomi Diouf, Alassane Kane, the film also has Jeff Wager as Director of photography; Cash Nwachukwu as Screenplay and Tumani Onabiyi as Associate Producer.
Set against the backdrop of the African dance movement in the United States, Sabar is a dramatic feature film about the triumph of the human spirit in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
"Sabar examines how we constantly negotiate and choreograph our way through the bigger and sometimes arrhythmic dance called life," said Nwoffiah.
"An African American hip-hop girl, Aisha, resists the ancestral call of the Senegalese dance Sabar. When she finally gives in, she discovers more than a dance - she finds herself.
"Aisha grew up dancing; all she knows is hip-hop and cannot understand the craziness about African dance. On a dare, she goes to an African dance class "just to see her friend" but when she leaves, the dance follows her and haunts her. Soon this hip-hop girl becomes a much talked about future "Queen of Sabar. But life has a way of dealing us cards that will test our very core and Aisha's cards were waiting in the wings."
Using the imagery of the West African musical instrument, Sabar, is also recognized as the style of music played while using this drum.
The sabar is a traditional drum from Senegal which is generally played with one hand and one stick. It was used to communicate to other villages. The different rhythms correspond to phrases and could be heard for over 15 kilometers.
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