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January 05, 2006
'Bling' Filmmaker Edouard Has a Word with Gothamist
Gothamist's Jen Chung features a brief interview today with Kareem Edouard, the Queens-based filmmaker whose short documentary Bling: Consequences and Repercussions (right) has attracted growing buzz for its closer look at Africa's brutal conflict diamond trade. Narrated by Chuck D and set for a feature-length expansion later this year, Bling views the hip-hop community's diamond obsession through the prism of a bloody Sierra Leone rebellion battling for control of that country's diamond mines.
Edouard also offers an unblinking bit of perspective on the plight of minority documentary filmmakers:
The problem that we run into is that non minorities often tackle subject matters such as hip-hop, civil rights and minority sports figures. Subjects specifically dealing with minorities. Much of the time non-minorities have the access to the tools and financing to get projects off the ground. Another problem facing minority filmmakers is when they are pigeon holed into dealing with only certain subject matters. Some of the top DVD's tend to deal with the negative aspects of our culture.
Right now I feel that the industry is more about using minority agents to export their own culture. I want to take a critical look at some of the issues that make us who we are.
He is off to a solid start with Bling--have a look when you get a chance (there is even a video podcast available for download, so no excuses, vloggers).
Posted by stvanairsdale at January 5, 2006 11:36 AM
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