The latest two films from ARRAY opened in limited release across the country. The films continue their mission and reaffirm their commitment of expanding their focus to a global cinematic audience.
Set in the vibrant, Afropolitan community of Johannesburg’s Yeoville, Ayanda is a coming-of-age story of a 21-year-old “Afro-hipster,” who embarks on a journey of self-discovery, when she has to fight to save her late father’s legacy – a motor repair shop – when it is threatened with closure. She’s thrown into a world of gender stereotypes and abandoned vintage cars once loved, now in need of a young woman’s re-inventive touch to bring them back to life again.
The film stars Fulu Mugovhani and Nigerian actor OC Ukeje, with a star-heavy South African cast that includes Ntathi Moshesh, Kenneth Nkosi, Jafta Mamabola, Thomas Gumede, Sihle Xaba and veteran star of stage and screen, Vanessa Cooke.
The second film is Takeshi Fukunaga’s directorial debut, Out of My Hand, is about a worker on a Liberian rubber plantation who wants to get away from a life overshadowed by civil war, and so moves to New York where he lives a new life as a taxi driver. The film that was selected for the main program of the Berlin International Film Festival’s Panorama section earlier this year.
Out of My Hand was made with support from the Liberian government and its Movie Union, who sponsored the shoot, and offered to pay for travel for its Liberian cast and crew, for the New York portion of production.
The film’s stars (Bishop Blay and Zenobia Kpoto), as well as of its cast for the Liberia portion of the shoot, are played by Liberians, who, for the majority, are acting for the very first time.
“Ayanda and Out of My Hand are films that represent the breadth and width of diverse filmmaking. A drama dissecting love in all forms directed by a South African woman, and a story of migration and masculinity directed by a Harlem-based Japanese man, both starring all-black casts, prove to be a powerful duo,” explained Array’s Executive Director Tilane Jones.
“These are the varied visions and voices that Array celebrates and amplifies through our releases,” added Jones. “We’re thrilled to showcase these films together for film lovers who appreciate distinct, robust storytelling from underrepresented perspectives.”
To find out when the films are coming to your city, visit ArrayNow.com. Check out the trailers for both films, below: