Boasting an impressive list of producers––including Spike Lee, Riz Ahmed, Alma Har’el, and Spike Jonze––Dina Amer’s gripping and deeply affecting directorial debut You Resemble Me dramatizes the sad and embattled life of Hasna Ait Boulahcen, a young woman who was falsely depicted as Europe’s first female suicide bomber after the 2015 Paris bombings.

The first part of the film portrays Hasna and her younger sister Mariam (played with realistic lack of inhibition by real-life sisters Lorenza and Ilonna Grimaudo) as they navigate life in in the suburbs of Paris. Moroccan immigrants, they live in a multi-racial housing complex with their overwhelmed, abusive mother and two other siblings. Despite life’s challenges and the neighborhood’s roughness, the closely bonded Hasna and Mariam manage to have fun playing and running through the streets. With its naturalistic action, dialogue and characters, the film is instantly compelling. Amer presents her story in a straightforward yet often poetic way; it’s easy to get drawn into the lives of these scrappy sisters.

During an impromptu birthday celebration for Mariam, their mother attempts to collect her daughter’s gifts to sell for cash. Hasna rebels, running away with Mariam in tow. They take the train into the city, where they sleep in a park in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and snatch food from street vendors.

Eventually the girls are apprehended (not for the first time) by authorities and literally torn apart, relegated to separate foster homes. Like the rest of You Resemble Me, this wrenching scene is intimate and raw, the camera closing in on the girls’ agonized faces.

Things are tense in Hasna’s foster home and she runs away again, wearing a cowboy hat she somehow acquired. (Actual press photos of Ait Boulahcen included one of her in a similar hat. A fan of Westerns, her character pretends to draw guns and shoot “bad guys” at several points during the film.)

The film jumps ahead several years, showing a grown-up Hasna drinking and dancing uninhibitedly in a club, then getting beaten up for selling bad drugs and being told by another man, “Everyone knows you’re a whore.” As an adult, Hasna is played by three different women including director Amer, with the fantastic Mouna Soualem doing the heaviest lifting. The multi-actress device, which is a bit confusing at first, symbolizes the character’s fragmented self.

Hasna repeatedly blames herself for splitting up her siblings and keeps trying to contact Mariam who doesn’t return her calls. One day she is verbally attacked by several men at the shawarma place where she works and is rescued by a Muslim couple.

At her lowest point, she sees her cousin Abdelhamid (Alexandre Gonin) on TV news, depicted as a “radical Islamist” and ISIS member. Hasna later watches one of his recruitment videos, which are clearly made to lure lost souls like herself. Eventually she makes contact and they begin texting, Abdelhamid urging her to come to Syria. Wanting to be useful somewhere, she also attempts to join the French Army, but is rudely dismissed at her interview.

Hasna’s eventual transformation into a pious Muslim isn’t smooth or complete; she remains rebellious and irreverent. Juxtaposed against Abdelhamid’s lulling descriptions of the “paradise” that awaits Hasna, we see news reports of the Charlie Hebdo attacks, and later, the coordinated St. Denis/Paris attacks that included the horrific Bataclan nightclub shootings. Eventually, Hasna decides to join her cousin.

When Hasna’s real-life relatives weigh in on her life and circumstances late in the film, it makes for an emotionally powerful and devastating ending.

Though most of You Resemble Me is a fictionalized version of what led to Hasna’s “radicalization,” it’s a compelling portrait of how a broken person might become involved in something that is beyond comprehension to most of us. It’s also Amer’s attempt to set the record straight, as initial reports of Hasna as suicide bomber were later disproved. An impressive debut, the film manages to unspool a complicated narrative and tightly hold our attention throughout.

You Resemble Me opens at the Angelika Film Center on Friday, November 4.

–– Marina Zogbi

Art for Progress “Mixed Greens” series continues November 12th with a retrospective in art featuring many artists who have exhibited with AFP over the past 20 years. Paintings, photography, collage, mixed media, digital art, illustrations and more will be part of the show. New work and older work will be included in the show, while some of the work to be exhibited is held in private collections.

The stories of the artists and work are vast, and some very powerful. For example, we’ll be showing artwork from street artist Jef Campion (Army of One) who was a fireman, artist, activist and volunteer. Jeff was a first responder on that unforgettable day, 9/11. Jef dedicated his time to art and activism as a result of that experience. Sadly, in 2014 Jef took his own life, but the power of his life’s work lives on. A mural was dedicated in his honor at a ceremony in his hometown of Yonkers a few years ago. We look forward to sharing his work with you, as the message hits home today with the horrific war in Ukraine.

The show will also feature work by illustrator, Don Sipley. Don also passed away some years back. He was a kind soul who was well recognized as a leading commercial illustrator in publishing and fashion. Don was very generous and appreciative of Art for Progress, where he donated his services and time on many occasions.

Other stories include, noted, early Burning Man photographer Gabe Kirchheimer, who’s work was featured in the New York Times and prolific Spanish painter Juan Manuel Pajares. Art for Progress helped establish his work in the NYC market. Visual artist Michael Alan, who’s worked with Art for Progress over the years, will also be part for the show. Plus, we’ll be exhibiting work created at AFP’s event in Central Park in 2009, with street artist Royce Bannon and others.

On the music side of things, the night will feature two live music performances. Zef Noise (Emilio Zef China), who performed at one of AFP’s very first events will perform on November 12th. Zef is a world class talent with a storied career. In recent years, he’s toured with Bauhaus, Peter Murphy’s Goth rock band, and has worked with many well-known acts including Dirty Projectors, The Naked and Famous, and DeerHunter. We’re also pleased to have Kara Ali joining us. Kara is a NY-based soulful Singer/Songwriter. Writing a fusion of rock, folk and soul, her music marries a throwback feel with modern touches for a unique and honest sound. She has strong jazzy alto vocals and her lyrics are often introspective, playful and highly relatable. Kara’s latest works touch on self-discovery and LGBT love themes, employing metaphors and an earnest delivery.

Participating Artists: Michael Alan, Royce Bannon, Jef Campion, Jason Covert, Pablo Damas, Martin Deegan, Gabe Kirchheimer, Juan Pajares, Don Sipley, Jeanne Wilkinson

Live Music performances by Zef Noise, Kara Ali

DJs spinning: Gatto, Eric Shans, Sanam

Seven House, 35 Meadow Street, Brooklyn (L train to Grand)

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mixed-greens-tickets-419867303407

Doors: 7PM – Midnight, $10 Suggested Donation, $20 donation includes open bar (beer and wine)

Funds raised will go to support the artists and Art for Progress’ arts education programs in under-served communities in NYC

Art for Progress launches a new series of monthly events featuring local, NYC based artists across multiple genres. The first in the series kicks off Saturday, October 1st at Seven House Gallery in Bushwick.

Immerse yourself in visual art, live music, DJ sets and visuals..

October 1st–

an art exhibit by Artem Mirolevich, Valery Yershov

a live music performance by Big Sweater (acoustic)

DJ sets by Gatto, Eric Shans, Achille

digital art and visuals by Igor Molochevsky

Seven House, 35 Meadow Street, Brooklyn (L train to Grand)

Get ADVANCE TICKETS.

Doors: 6PM – Midnight, $10 Suggested Donation, $20 donation includes open bar (beer and wine)

Funds raised will go to support the artists and Art for Progress’ arts education programs in under-served communities in NYC

A tough yet poignant film, Gaysorn Thavat’s The Justice of Bunny King is the story of a New Zealand mother who battles the country’s social services bureaucracy to regain custody of her children. Bunny (Essie Davis), a funny, resourceful woman who refuses to be beaten down by the system, is the film’s motor—charming and scheming her way through various obstacles, all to fulfill her promise to celebrate her young daughter’s upcoming birthday.

We first see Bunny energetically cleaning windshields in a parking lot for cash with a posse of fellow squeegee operators. Gradually, we learn of her difficult situation, beginning with a visit to a social services office, where she is reminded that in order to get her children out of foster care—or to spend time with them at all—she needs to have a home. Unfortunately, she’s currently living with her sister’s family during a severe housing shortage.

Things get worse when Bunny witnesses a disturbing scene involving her teenaged niece Tonyah (Thomasin McKenzie) and the former is subsequently kicked out of her brother-in-law’s house. As Bunny faces and is defeated by one hurdle after another, with Tonyah as accomplice, she becomes even more determined, and the film spirals into a suspenseful race against time as the stakes get ever higher. Thanks to Sophie Henderson’s script, and Thavat’s pacing and tone, we’re never quite sure what will happen next, while Davis’s terrific performance guarantees that we stay riveted to Bunny’s plight.

Though dark, The Justice of Bunny King — like its protagonist—never loses heart. It’s an impressive debut feature that deserves a wide audience.

The Justice of Bunny King opens in theaters on Friday, September 23, and is available on VOD platforms on Sept. 30.

Also opening on September 23 is DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema, located in a landmarked Chinatown firehouse building. Founded in 1972, DCTV has grown into one of the country’s leading documentary production and film education centers. The center’s Cinema for Documentary Film is a place for both filmmakers and film lovers, with a program of first-run, curated repertory; masterclasses; family programs and more. Opening at the Firehouse in the next few weeks are:

• Abigail Disney and Kathleen Hughes’ The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales (Sept. 23 – 29), a personal essay documentary in which Disney grapples with America’s profound inequality crisis, after encountering workers at the company that bears her name struggling to put food on the table.

• Reid Davenport’s I Didn’t See You There (Sept. 30 – Oct. 6), in which the visibly disabled Davenport illustrates how he sees the world, forcing the viewer to confront the spectacle and invisibility of disability.

• Nina Menkes’ Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power (Oct. 20 – 27), which explores the sexual politics of cinematic shot design, using clips from hundreds of movies we all know and love – from Metropolis to Vertigo to Phantom Thread.

For additional info about these films and other events, visit: www.dctvny.org/s/firehousecinema 

—Marina Zogbi

Alas, summer has come to an end for students. Nevertheless, even though it has come to an end for them, the energy and momentum of progress that took place this year continue to move forward for Art for Progress, its team of professionals and the champion spirit passed on to each student who was part of our program. We built many memories around the program this year, seeing that it was our first face-to-face since the pandemic hit in March 2020.

From having guest speakers like Bill Claps, to enjoying live music sessions with Dezron Douglas, to viewing Gabriel Bullion’s star-studded portfolio of clients ranging from Jay-Z to North Face (a special edition puffer jacket designed exclusively for TNF). The line-up was electric, and every guest could share their retrospective of work and speak authentically from the heart. Their lived experiences- success or failure- were shared via storytelling and were a golden opportunity for the students to receive such heartfelt insight. It was extremely comforting to hear every professional speak earnestly of their mishaps and victories, making the pedagogical experience so close, personal, and authentic. I remember being an art student and sitting through talks where art professionals and designers seemed egocentric, chatting away about their successes but never delving deep into their failures and how they paved the way for success. Failures are the most prominent markers we tend to remember in life. We wanted the students to understand how those failures teach us to pivot in new ways, which may even lead us to reinvent our practice. Artist Bill Claps gave a great example when he presented his first works of art- abstractions of nudes. Claps’ work began in the most traditional form-nudes and human figures- but ended up exploring gilt, fashion and video.

The students were keen on the conversations and workshop, and we spotted a group that exhibited great natural talent in the arts. We had a core group that attended the music or art workshops every day.

Commitment was the A-game word in 2022, and our kids exemplified it. Each workshop was carefully tailored to cater to areas of interest, such as fashion (pattern-making) or composing sounds on Garageband. Every workshop offered the student a new hands-on approach, allowing them to explore the technique while having collaborative discussions. We provided workshops focused on skill sets they may need in the workforce and skills that could potentially land them an internship. For example, in fashion, the students learned how to create patterns. We took vintage garments, sprawled them out and used each piece to trace out a section of the garment. The idea was to motivate the student to take what they already own and find ways to understand and reinvent it. Knowing that Bullion was debuted to a younger audience whose interest circulated in fashion and were able to learn pattern-making techniques could potentially facilitate an internship at Bullion’s atelier for them. It is one of our goals to make opportunities accessible to the next generation of creatives. My students demonstrated exceptional interest and commitment over the summer, so I confidently recommend several for transitional and formative projects and employment. I challenged them in the mural-making course, which asked the student to begin with an individual idea board that would become a collaborative design, a preliminary sketch for a more significant project. We had a drawing ready to propose at the end of the six weeks. Now we have a preliminary sketch available to submit to any public art open call in the city of NYC. It was exciting to see what we achieved, individually and collaboratively, in 6 weeks.

Finally, to celebrate, I arranged a field trip to the Whitney Biennial to motivate them to keep working on their practice. The field trip was fun and a great way to relax after all the hard work and focus we had collectively invested. It was a bittersweet moment to bid everyone farewell, and realizing it was time to return to Miami made me cringe. There is no other city in the U.S.A. like NYC. Magic and creativity are everywhere. I know I brought that energy back to Miami. It is needed here. I also know NYC is pulling me back to nurture, evolve and develop my artistic practices and students. Where do we go from here, AFP?

More to come….…stay tuned, and watch this space! 

by Beláxis Buil

edited by Rachael (Global English Editing)