UA’s CCHS Co-Sponsors Evening of African Films

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The third annual Tuscaloosa Evening of African Films, which is co-sponsored by The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences, will be held Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Bama Theatre in downtown Tuscaloosa.

The program begins at 6 p.m. and includes the showing of four films, including three award-winning short films and one feature-length film. African art, crafts and other products will be available for purchase at the theater beginning at 5 p.m. and will be available for purchase during breaks throughout the evening.

The event is presented by the Edward A. Ulzen Memorial Foundation and Afram South Inc., two nonprofit organizations that support education and public health initiatives in Ghana, West Africa and West Alabama, respectively.

The event is also co-sponsored by Tuscaloosa’s sister city of Sunyani-Techiman in Ghana.

The short films are “Beleh,” “Soko Sonko” and “Curse of an Addict” from Cameroon, Kenya and Zanzibar, respectively.

“Beleh,” set in a small village in Cameroon, examines the relationship between Ekema and his pregnant wife, Joffi. The difficulty she faces in her pregnancy is made worse by the demands of her selfish husband, but when their roles mysteriously switch, Ekma gains a new perspective on his wife’s situation.

“Soko Sonko” is a hilarious journey of a well-intended father who must take his daughter, when her mother gets sick, to the market to get her hair braided before school begins. In “Curse of an Addict,” Seif, a young Muslim and heroin addict, believes he is cursed and seeks help from a spiritual leader, who conducts an exorcism and summons the curse.

The feature-length film, “Finding Fela,” is a 2014 documentary on the life of controversial Nigerian musician and political activist, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $6 for students and children. Tickets are available online at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1197870 and on the day of the event at the Bama Theatre box office.

For more information, contact eaumfoundation@gmail.com or phone Bill Foster at 334/322-0824 or Thad Ulzen at 331/444-2262.