Black Europe Film Festival

Islands of Memory: Afro-Caribbean Short Films + Q&A with Directors

Thursday, January 30 • 4:30pm • FREE

Guadeloupe, an archipelago in the Caribbean, has a rich and complex history shaped by Indigenous culture, slavery, and resistance. Originally inhabited by the Indigenous Arawak and Carib peoples, it was named "Karukera" (Island of Beautiful Waters) by the latter. Today, Guadeloupe is a French overseas region with a unique blend of African, European, and Caribbean cultural influences, making it a vibrant hub for Creole culture.

The two short films in this free program dedicated to the Afro-Caribbean shed light on the island's complex history, while capturing a present shaped by fleeting diasporic identities and the enduring traumas of slavery and colonialism.

After the screening, Atopias directors Daniela Yohannes and Julien Béramis will host a Q&A session on Guadeloupe, cinema, and Blackness in the Caribbean. This discussion will provide an opportunity to explore the film's stunning visuals in greater depth, offering insights into the directors' creative processes and the cultural contexts that shape their work.

ABOUT THE FILMS

Here Ends the World as We Know It (Guadalupe, France • 2022 • Sranan tongo, Aluku tongo, French • Director: Anne-Sophie Nanki)

1645. Guadeloupe, French West Indies. Ibátali, a Native Kalinago is married to a French settler. She takes Olaudah, a maroon African, on a journey during which he could lose his freedom and his life.

Prix Spécial du Jury - FEMI 2024; Prix du Scénario et de la mise en scène - Festival Dakar Court 2023; Best Short FIlm Award - CaribbeanTales International Film Festival 2023

Atopias: The Homeless Wanderer (Guadalupe, France • 2023 • English, Italian, Tigrinya • Directors: Daniela Yohannes and Julien Béramis)

A Black woman, portrayed by Yohannes, embarks on a meditative journey through the wild landscapes of the Caribbean, confronting dreamlike memories as she searches for a transformational portal.

Best Emerging Directors & Best Experimental Film - Nova Frontier 2024

ABOUT Atopias DIRECTORS

Daniela Yohannes is an multimedia artist of Ethiopian-Eritrean heritage, whose work reflects on the racialized movement and conditional belonging of the African diaspora. She uses abstract portraiture and storytelling across multiple media to explore the overlap of individual and collective subconscious and desire, and the destruction caused by displacement.

Julien Béramis is a multidisciplinary artist from Guadeloupe and France, combining acting, writing, directing, music, and performance to explore the complex history of the island. He employs intuitive writing, observations of nature, and pushes the limits of his body through dance and performance to reach a trance and pathways for healing

ABOUT - BLACK EUROPE FILM FESTIVAL

The Black Europe Film Festival of Minneapolis/St. Paul is a groundbreaking celebration of Afro-European cinema, debuting in the Twin Cities from January 30 to February 2, 2025. Rooted in community collaboration and anti-racist organizing, BEFF MSP brings you a dynamic lineup of documentaries, fiction films, and shorts by Europe’s most acclaimed Afro-descendant filmmakers. This festival offers a space for artists to showcase their work and foster connections across the global Black diaspora and the international film community. At its core, BEFF MSP recognizes the intertwined legacies of racism, colonialism, and displacement while celebrating the vibrancy, creativity, and resilience of Black filmmakers. These artists challenge stereotypes, redefine narratives, and envision worlds beyond the limits imposed by whiteness, amplifying an authentic vision of Black Europe and Black Europeans. The festival experience is enriched by masterclasses, filmmaker encounters, workshops, lectures, and artist residencies, creating opportunities for learning, connection, and joy. Join us to celebrate the power of storytelling and the boundless creativity of Afro-European cinema while engaging diverse audiences, communities, and youth.