Behind the Scenes with Ivan Herrera, Director of BANTU MAMA

We are truly proud this year, to be one of the community partners of the THIRD HORIZON FILM FESTIVAL 2021, Miami (USA) which celebrates the exciting new wave of cinema emerging from the Caribbean and its diaspora. Now in its 5th year, this festival remains grounded in community, connection and the mission that Caribbean-diasporic-Global south stories must be told. And it’s e-v-e-r-ything we want to hear.  

One of the (many) films which stood out for us was Bantu Mama (2020) from the Dominican Republic. We were honoured to have the opportunity to speak with Film Director Ivan Herrera and Producer Clarisse Albrecht this June.

Bantu Mama tells the story of Emma, an Afropean woman who escapes arrest and sees her destiny change in a dangerous district of Santo Domingo. According to filmmaker Ivan Herrera, for him and Producer Clarisse Albrecht,  the film was made “to begin the personal recognition process of honouring our African roots and to reconnect stories from the Caribbean and Europe to Africa.”

It’s almost impossible not to appreciate the timeliness of this film, created at an unprecedented and transformational moment in human history: systemic changes are unfolding, social justice movements led by the African diaspora, BIPOC and so many other communities – who have been subjected to colonial / imperialist oppression throughout History – resonate worldwide. New narratives for alternative, hopeful futures are now being written. 

As we count down to the festival’s closing night, we are excited to discover the way in which Africa and her diasporic offspring meet again, right here on this same Caribbean soil…

Bantu Mama will be screened at the Closing Night of the Third Horizon film festival on Thursday 1st July, 2021. WATCH at the Nite Owl Drive-In (Miami) OR Online via thirdhorizonfilmfestival.com

Bantú Mama made its world premiere at SXSW 2021, being the first film from the Dominican Republic to be selected by SXSW. The filming took place in the Dominican Republic, France, and Senegal. French actress Clarisse Albrecht, together with young actors, Scarlet Reyes, Euris Javiel and Arturo Perez are the leading cast of the film.  Produced by Point Barre, a Dominican independent film production company; Bantú Mama is its first feature film.

More about the film here: https://www.bantumama.com