SLAM presented by Britt Sankofa
Director: Marc Levin Run Time: 100 min. Release Year: 1998
Starring: Beau Sia, Bonz Malone, Lawrence Wilson, Saul Williams, Sonja Sohn
SLAM with introduction by Britt Sankofa and Q&A with actor Momolu Stewart (Bay).
Raymond (Saul Williams) is a young Black performance poet living in Washington, D.C. who is arrested and imprisoned for a petty marijuana charge. Danger lurks around every corner, but nothing can stop him from establishing his identity, strength, and voice. In jail, Raymond meets a prison gang leader (Bonz Malone) and a writing teacher (Sonja Sohn) who inspires him to use the power of creative expression to fight for his freedom and avoid becoming another victim of the racist criminal justice system. Featuring sublime poetry and heart-wrenching realism, Slam is a testament to the importance and impact of artistic expression. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) at the Sundance Film Festival and the Caméra d’Or (Best First Feature) at the Cannes Film Festival.
BRITT SANKOFA: BRITT SANKOFA is a filmmaker, writer, and artist from Washington DC. Her works have been featured in the SAAM ‘Women Filmmakers Festival” (2019), Virginia Film Festival (2018), Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival (2019), and the Afrikana Independent Film Festival (2017, 2019). Britt has a huge passion for black history and cinema and works towards building relationships between the two.