Johnny Mad Dog by Jean Sauvaire

Johnny Mad Dog is a brutal film directed by Jean-Stephane Sauvaire. The film depicts a group of soldiers in their early teens and the lives they lead as a gang of freedom fighters in an unnamed African country, their self-proclaimed mission is to unseat the government.

Their country has been plagued by war for many years to the point there its all the young boys have ever known, Johnny Mad Dog and his small commando robs, pillages, and slays everything in his path. In contrast Laokole, pushing her disabled father around in a rickety wheelbarrow, attempting to invent a glorious future, strives to flee her city occupied by teenage-soldier militias, with her little brother Fofo

The performances are incredible Casting boys who actually been soldiers in their past enhances the loss of innocence amongst the young boys and the dramatic reality of civil war.

Johnny Mad Dog is now showing at Curzon Renoir, Brunswick Square, London wc1.

Not to be missed.

Manifesto: a means of expression.

Lyle Owerko photojournalist

Lyle Owerko is a photojournalist and commercial photographer based in New York City. He travels the world shooting for many NGO's and human rights groups.

His work is an effort to unveil unknown cultures and bridge the gap between human groups. It involves themes related to his profession, such as politics, industrialisation and technology. However, Lyle focuses on the humanistic aspect presentation a different point of view. It could be said his work is a critique to globalisation.
Through a quite critical- evocative- shocking perspective, he stimulates the audience and makes us re-evaluate values and taxonomies.

His work "Africa" is mainly a series of portraits. Lyle was fascinated by the people of East Africa and they were a great source of inspiration for him. His trips in Kenya and the interaction with the inhabitants influenced an unknown aspect of the African culture.
Guided by his passion for photography and his motivation, he tries through his work to contribute for a better living. As he claims, " this is a lifetime commitment for me".

Lyle Owerko has also a blog where he publishes projects, ideas and introduces new artists and their work.

Olia Psarrou

Not to be missed

Manifesto: a means of expression

Manifesto presents Harare, Zimbabwean dance music

We are pleased to say that our first night back after the summer at Momo’s was one of the best nights to date, there was an amazing vibe within the authentic African setting.

Our second evening brings a special performance by Harare, which is one of the few groups to be playing Zimbabwean dance music in Europe . Formed by two musicians from the heart of Zimbabwean urban music.

Harare formed by Kudashe Matimba – marimba, keys, vocals, Kenny Chitsvatsva - Drumkit, Jules Faibe- Bass and Laurance Corns - Guitar combines different styles from Jit Jive to tradional hypnotic rhythms of mbira(lamellaphone) which reflect the different backgrounds of the people who make up the group. Harare music is also heavily influenced by Afro-Mbira, the genre develop by Thomas Mapfumo.

Led by highly energetic Kudashe Matimba, Harare have the style, momentum and experience to show there is a promising future ahead for Zimbabwean based dance music and for their exciting new songs.

This act is fantastic and will be a tremendously enjoyable evening that should appeal to anyone looking to experience the very best of Zimbabwe music.

Joining them will be resident DJ’s spinning music from a variety of African genres. Alberto Tavares open the evening with his mellow eclectic mix on the decks. Later in the evening DJ Todd Hart hits the turntables with his inimitable, sassy, and sexy spin on dance African style. Manifesto has invited the renowned Mozambique DJ Baga who is very well Know for his sets in Lisbon,Portugal.

Manifesto Acoustic is a concept whereby live music, afro-beats and DJ sessions intertwine. Manifesto team, in collaboration with Momo, one of the hippest, vibrant and eclectic clubs in London, look forward to seeing you.

8 October 2009
7.00pm - late
Starting at 7pm
Performance at 9pm
Free Admission


Manifesto: a means of expression

Manifesto presents Jally Kebba Susso - Manding Sabu

We are pleased to announce we are starting a new journey in this highly renowned place thats is known as Momo after our time at the exclusive and eclectic Double Club.

The band invited to perform and which is now part of Manifesto’s portfolio, is Jally Kebba Susso - Manding Sabu, a 5 member group that celebrates the GRIOT tradition. They are West African poets and wandering musicians. Popularly known as praise singers and storytellers, this band is keeping an exceptional African tradition alive.

Jally Kebba Susso is a Griot, and the Susso family goes way back in time as they represent a dynasty of traditional oral historians passed through generations. Kyasi Guitarist, Alua Percussion, Karl a bass player and Drea a lover of all things creative is a poet and singer.

Jally Kebba Susso - Manding Sabu ‘s ultimate goal is to “expand the boundaries of the griot tradition whilst keeping its heart and soul intact”.

This will be a tremendously enjoyable evening that should appeal to anyone looking to experience one of the most ‘infectiously danceable forms of music in the world!’

Joining them will be resident DJ’s spinning music from a variety of African genres. Alberto Tavares opens the evening with his mellow eclectic mix on the decks. Later in the evening DJ Todd Hart hits the turntables with his inimitable, sassy, and sexy spin on dance African style. Manifesto has invited the renowned Mozambique DJ Baga who is very well known for his sets in Lisbon, Portugal.

Manifesto Acoustic is a concept whereby live music, afro-beats and DJ sessions intertwine. Manifesto team, in collaboration with Momo, one of the hippest, vibrant and eclectic clubs in London, look forward to seeing you.

24 September 2009
7.00pm - late
Momo

25 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BH
Tube: Oxford Circus or Picadilly
www.momoresto.com
Admission is Free

Manifesto: a means of expression

Oumou Sangare Music from Mali

Sangare's vibrant electro-acoustics take on infectiously funky Wassoulou sounds of Southern Maliland.

The voice of Oumou Sangare is a extensive and agile, rhythmically emphatic and deeply soulful, her music emanates style and grace.

"Seya" her latest album benefits from fantastic arrangements combining contemporary and traditional instruments in ways that add further nuance to her emotive singing with pungent social commentary.

This is a subtle masterpiece, a journey through roots music/acoustic/Afro-beat that you need to listen.

Not to be missed.

Manifesto: a means of expression

Photography by Pieter Hugo, Nollywood

Cape Town born Pieter Hugo powerful photographs engages with african people with a sheer determination to unveil, understand and depict Nollywood.

"In Africa, Nollywood movies are a rare instance of self-representation in the mass media.

The continent has a rich tradition of story-telling that has been expressed abundantly through oral and written fiction, but has never been conveyed through the mass media before.

Movies tell stories that appeal to and reflect the lives of its public: stars are local actors; plots confront the viewer with familiar situations of romance, comedy, witchcraft, bribery, prostitution. The narrative is overdramatic, deprived of happy endings, tragic. The aesthetic is loud, violent, excessive; nothing is said, everything is shouted.

In his travels through West Africa, Hugo has been intrigued by this distinct style in constructing a fictional world where everyday and unreal elements intertwine.

By asking a team of actors and assistants to recreate Nollywood myths and symbols as if they were on movie sets, Hugo initiated the creation of a verisimilar reality.

His vision of the film industry’s interpretation of the world results in a gallery of hallucinatory and unsettling images.

The tableaux of the series depict situations clearly surreal but that could be real on a set; furthermore, they are rooted in the local symbolic imaginary. The boundaries between documentary and fiction become very fluid, and we are left wondering whether our perceptions of the real world are indeed real."

Also the series The Hyena & Other Men are not to be missed.

www.pieterhugo.com

Manifesto: a means of expression

Cape Verde Crioulo Colony to Independent Nation

"The Cape Verde Islands are located off the coast of Senegal, were first settled during the Portuguese Age of Discovery in the fifteenth century. Dr. Richard Lobban outlines Cape Verde’s complex history over five centuries, beginning with its role in the slave trade, the years under Portuguese colonial administration and its protracted armed struggle on the Guinea coast for national independence.

Dr. Lobban offers a rich ethnography of the islands, exploring the diverse heritage of Cape Verdeans who have descended from Africans, Europeans, and Luso-Africans. Looking at economics and politics, Lobban reflects on Cape Verde’s efforts to achieve economic growth and development, analyzing the move from colonialism to state socialism and on to a privatized market economy built around tourism, fishing, small-scale mining, and agricultural production.

He then chronicles Cape Verde’s peaceful transition from one-party rule to elections and political pluralism. He concludes with an overview of the prospects for this tiny oceanic nation on a pathway to development."

Manifesto: a means of expression