Emerging voices in Black cinema
At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Google TV is excited to partner with The Blackhouse Foundation on its mission to celebrate emerging voices in Black film and TV. Check out Play's interview with three featured filmmakers: Tari Wariebi, Thembi Banks, and C.J. Obasi.
Where do you find inspiration, and what motivates you?
Thembi Banks, director of Young. Wild. Free.: I hate to sound cliché, but I get so much inspiration from my son. My creativity, drive, and point of view have been changed and elevated since having him. My motivation comes from the women that came before me. My mother, grandmother, and godmother were all such dynamic, hardworking women with amazing stories of triumph, pain, and joy. It’s always necessary to keep going when I think of them and all the Black women in this country who’ve pushed past the unthinkable. The fact that I get to tell stories for a living and be an artist means I am truly their wildest dreams.
C.J. Obasi, director of Mami Wata: I find inspiration in where I come from – the specificity of my experiences, and being able to perpetually find the universality within those experiences. I draw from history, culture, mythology, folklore – stories my dad, mum, or grandmother told us growing up. I draw inspiration from my late sisters, and my memory of them, and perpetually trying to honor that memory. I'm motivated by a certain ideal that drives me to see a certain kind of storytelling and aesthetic for Africa on the global scene.
Tari Wariebi, director of We Were Meant To: I find inspiration in the people I'm surrounded by and the conversations we're having about the state of our world or where we're navigating emotionally. What motivates me? That's a tricky question. With filmmaking, I've found something that I love deeply, so what motivates me is the desire to keep getting better and watching films that inspire me to keep pushing the limits.
C.J. Obasi, director of Mami Wata: I find inspiration in where I come from – the specificity of my experiences, and being able to perpetually find the universality within those experiences. I draw from history, culture, mythology, folklore – stories my dad, mum, or grandmother told us growing up. I draw inspiration from my late sisters, and my memory of them, and perpetually trying to honor that memory. I'm motivated by a certain ideal that drives me to see a certain kind of storytelling and aesthetic for Africa on the global scene.
Tari Wariebi, director of We Were Meant To: I find inspiration in the people I'm surrounded by and the conversations we're having about the state of our world or where we're navigating emotionally. What motivates me? That's a tricky question. With filmmaking, I've found something that I love deeply, so what motivates me is the desire to keep getting better and watching films that inspire me to keep pushing the limits.
Sundance is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. What does it mean to you to have your film play at this festival?
TB: This is such an important and special moment for me. I try to slow down and live through it all because this has been a dream of mine for so long. I remember the first two times I came to Sundance: once as a fan and the other as a supporter of my friends' projects. The fact that my film will be on screen this time has me wanting to pinch myself. I can’t believe it and I’m so grateful that I’ll be a part of this very important community of filmmakers and film enthusiasts. I feel like I’ve graduated into the next chapter of my journey.
CJO: It means everything. The conversation of Nigerian cinema and its definition has been given an extra boost directly through the selection of MAMI WATA by Sundance, and the inspiration that it brings to countless people in the country can never be quantified. We'll all see and experience the positive effects in the years to come.
TW: It means a lot of things to me; firstly, it means we're going to get an incredible amount of eyes on this project, which was always important to my team and me... As an artist, the Sundance nod affirms what I already believed about myself as a filmmaker and the incredibly special film we made, We Were Meant To.
CJO: It means everything. The conversation of Nigerian cinema and its definition has been given an extra boost directly through the selection of MAMI WATA by Sundance, and the inspiration that it brings to countless people in the country can never be quantified. We'll all see and experience the positive effects in the years to come.
TW: It means a lot of things to me; firstly, it means we're going to get an incredible amount of eyes on this project, which was always important to my team and me... As an artist, the Sundance nod affirms what I already believed about myself as a filmmaker and the incredibly special film we made, We Were Meant To.
What’s next for you? Any projects or collaborations you can share with us?
TB: I’ll be shooting a pilot that I wrote based on Gabourey Sidibe’s life for Onyx Collective, which is very exciting. Gabby and I have something so great planned.
CJO: I have a TV series at the pilot development stage. I'm also currently writing a fantasy epic called NRI that’s in the vein of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but rooted in the history, culture, and cosmology of my tribe – the Igbo people.
TW: What's next? Everything! My first studio feature – I'm really excited about the story we're telling and the people I am getting the opportunity to collaborate with. I can't say much about it, but it will be a good time! And, of course, I'm writing; I'm in the proverbial kitchen or lab cooking some fun new worlds and characters and finishing up the expanded version of my Sundance film with my co-writer Christina Licud.
CJO: I have a TV series at the pilot development stage. I'm also currently writing a fantasy epic called NRI that’s in the vein of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but rooted in the history, culture, and cosmology of my tribe – the Igbo people.
TW: What's next? Everything! My first studio feature – I'm really excited about the story we're telling and the people I am getting the opportunity to collaborate with. I can't say much about it, but it will be a good time! And, of course, I'm writing; I'm in the proverbial kitchen or lab cooking some fun new worlds and characters and finishing up the expanded version of my Sundance film with my co-writer Christina Licud.
What advice would you give other aspiring filmmakers who are just getting started?
TB: Consistency is key. Keep writing, making things, and honing your craft no matter how hard it gets or how far the finish line seems. The biggest difference between those who make it and those who don’t is persistence and drive.
CJO: Just figure out early on why you want to make films. Because ultimately, that reason will anchor you through your career. Film-making is a very uncertain career with many ups and downs, so you need a strong anchor if you're going to do it for real. It's not enough to say you loved that Scorsese or Tarantino flick.
TW: There will never be a perfect time or the "right" budget, gear, or cast – just get started. Your career is waiting for you. Also, you're not on a quest for perfection, you're on a quest to improve every time you make a film. Focus on process over product in your early years. You'll quietly learn that a great process will likely result in a great product, or something you can truly stand behind and be proud of. That feeling will never get old.
CJO: Just figure out early on why you want to make films. Because ultimately, that reason will anchor you through your career. Film-making is a very uncertain career with many ups and downs, so you need a strong anchor if you're going to do it for real. It's not enough to say you loved that Scorsese or Tarantino flick.
TW: There will never be a perfect time or the "right" budget, gear, or cast – just get started. Your career is waiting for you. Also, you're not on a quest for perfection, you're on a quest to improve every time you make a film. Focus on process over product in your early years. You'll quietly learn that a great process will likely result in a great product, or something you can truly stand behind and be proud of. That feeling will never get old.
Anything else you'd like to share?
TB: As an artist, the work you do on yourself, the personal stuff, is just as important as the professional skills and tools you develop. You are the vessel, take care and nurture you.
CJO: Folks should be open and prepare their hearts and minds to African cinematic works, because there's a new definition coming.
CJO: Folks should be open and prepare their hearts and minds to African cinematic works, because there's a new definition coming.
