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☆ ‘Io Capitano,’ Italy’s Oscar Nominee, Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Richard Braude | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Of all the offerings this Oscar season, one stands out: “Io Capitano.” A nominee for best international feature film, the film is a visually stunning and often harrowing account of the journey from West Africa to Europe. At a time when Italy’s far right is in government, introducing draconian anti-migrant laws amid a flood of poisonous rhetoric, “Io Capitano” represents an important intervention by its director, Matteo Garrone. Wolof dominates the script, claiming a place for a language that, though present in Italian society, has been nearly absent from Italian cinema. Yet for all its achievements, the film doesn’t tell the whole story. “Io Capitano” owes its title to the final scenes of the film in which the Senegalese protagonist, Seydou, is strong-armed into helming a rusty fishing trawler that takes him and hundreds more from Libya to Lampedusa, Italy’s southernmost island.

Persons: ”, Matteo Garrone, Garrone, Walt Whitman’s, — “ Locations: West Africa, Europe, Senegal, Senegalese, Libya, Lampedusa

☆ Dozens Feared Dead in Collapse of Informal Gold Mine in Mali
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Elian Peltier | More About Elian Peltier | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Scores of people have died in the West African nation of Mali after an informal gold mine collapsed last week, the country’s Ministry of Mines said on Wednesday, highlighting the risks that countless artisanal miners face in one of Africa’s largest gold-producing countries. Several West African countries have experienced a new boom in informal mining, also known as artisanal mining, over the past two decades. It has provided a livelihood to thousands of people, fed trafficking routes and attracted armed groups. In northern Mali, for instance, Tuareg rebels and insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda control mining sites. About six tons came from artisanal mining.

Persons: Seydou Traoré Organizations: country’s Ministry of Mines, Associated Press, Al Locations: West African, Mali, Bamako, Al Qaeda

The naive pair — unknowns whom Garrone found and cast in Senegal — witness mass death in the Sahara, scams and torture beyond their expectations. Italian Premier Georgia Meloni has called migration the biggest challenge of her first year in office. The film shows the two cousins Seydou and Moussa leaving their home without alerting their parents or knowing what to expect. The film's subject is familiar to those who follow migration news in Europe and North Africa. Garrone said he relied heavily on migrants in Rabat and Casablanca who worked on the film as extras.

Persons: Matteo Garrone, Seydou, Moussa, Garrone, Pope Francis, Georgia Meloni, ”, Mamadou Kouassi, ” Kouassi, hasn't, who've, “ Organizations: United Nations, Georgia, Associated Press, West, Libyan Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco, Italian, Europe, Marrakech, Dakar, Niger, Libya, Italy, Senegal, Albania, Tunisia, Ivorian, Caserta, Libyan, North Africa, Casablanca, Erfoud, Rabat

☆ ‘Io Capitano’: An African odyssey inspired by true events wins at Venice Film Festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Tom Page | Thomas Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In “Io Capitano” (“Me Captain”) by director Matteo Garrone, there is no shame in retreating into imagination. “Io Capitano” premiered last week at the Venice Film Festival, where Garrone won the award for best director and Sarr was named best young actor, and was released in Italian cinemas on September 7. Moustapha Fall attends a red carpet for "Io Capitano" at the Venice International Film Festival. “I started crying during the film,” Kouassi said, speaking the day after the premiere. “I think it is important – it is sending a very great message to Europe.”“Io Capitano” premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 6.

Persons: he’s, ”, Matteo Garrone, can’t, Moussa, Seydou Sarr, Garrone, Sarr, –, “, ” Garrone, Ousamane Sembène, “ Atlantics ”, Mati Diop, Mamadou Kouassi, Kouassi, Greta De Lazzaris, ” Sarr, Moustapha, Pascal Le Segretain, Seydou, , ” Kouassi, Libya , “ Matteo, TIZIANA FABI Organizations: CNN, Venice Film, Med, Cannes, French, Venice, Getty, West Locations: Europe, West Africa, Italy, Niger, Libya, Venice, Africa, Med Hondo, Senegal, Mauritania, French Senegalese, European, Ivorian, Caserta, Naples, Morocco, AFP

ROME (AP) — “Poor Things,” a film about Victorian-era female empowerment, won the Golden Lion on Saturday at a Venice Film Festival largely deprived of Hollywood glamour because of the writers and actors strikes. The film, starring Emma Stone, won the top prize at the 80th edition of the festival, which is often a predictor of Oscar glory. The film tells the story of two young boys’ odyssey from Dakar, Senegal, to the detention camps in Libya and finally across the Mediterranean to Europe. Peter Sarsgaard won best actor for “Memory,” in which he co-stars with Jessica Chastain in a film about high schoolers reuniting. Cailee Spaeny won best actress for “Priscilla,” Sofia Coppola's portrait of the private side of Priscilla and Elvis Presley.

Persons: Emma Stone, Yorgos Lanthimos, Stone, ” Lanthimos, Alasdair Gray’s, Bella Baxter, Matteo Garrone, Seydou Sarr, Agnieszka Holland’s “, Peter Sarsgaard, Jessica Chastain, Sarsgaard, Cailee Spaeny, “ Priscilla, ” Sofia, Priscilla, Elvis Presley, Damien Chazelle, Saleh Bakri, Jane Campion, Mia Hansen, Løve, Gabriele Mainetti, Martin McDonagh, Santiago Mitre, Laura Poitras, Shu Qi Organizations: ROME, Lion, Venice Film Locations: Venice, Europe, Dakar, Senegal, Libya, Polish, Belarus, Shu

☆ Wild comedy 'Poor Things' wins top prize at Venice Festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Crispian Balmer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/8] The 80th Venice Film Festival - Awards Ceremony - Venice, Italy, September 9, 2023. Director Yorgos Lanthimos poses with Golden Lion Award for Best Film for the movie 'Poor Things'. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Oscar favourites regularly emerge from VeniceActors strike loomed large over festivalTop actors' awards go to U.S. starsVENICE, Sept 9 (Reuters) - "Poor Things", a gothic, sex-charged comedy directed by Greece's Yorgos Lanthimos, won the prestigious Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday. The runner-up Silver Lion award went to "Evil Does Not Exist", an enigmatic, rural drama directed by Japan's Ryusuke Hamaguchi -- the only Asian entry among the 23 films competing for the main prize. Collecting his award, Sarsgaard said AI had to be curbed, warning that the issue had implications that went far beyond Hollywood.

Persons: Yorgos, Guglielmo Mangiapane, Greece's Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Bella Baxter, Spaeny, Elvis Presley, Priscilla, Peter Sarsgaard, Japan's Ryusuke, Sarsgaard, Poland's Agnieszka Holland, Italy's Matteo Garrone, Seydou Sarr, Guillermo Calderon, Pablo Larrain, Conde, General Augusto Pinochet, Crispian Balmer, Roberto Mignucci, Clelia Organizations: REUTERS, Venice Actors, Golden Lion, Lion, ACTION, Thomson Locations: Venice, Italy, U.S, VENICE, British, Hollywood, Polish, Belarus, Senegal, Africa, Europe

☆ Migrants not just numbers, Italian director says in Venice film
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Hanna Rantala | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

VENICE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - With migrant arrivals once again surging in Italy, director Matteo Garrone has brought a film to Venice showing the perilous journey from Africa to Europe through the eyes of two naive, but plucky Senegalese teenagers. "In these years we have got used to the idea that they are only numbers and we forget that behind these numbers there are people, there are families, there are dreams, there are souls," Garrone told Reuters following the premiere of "Me Captain". "(The film) was born out the idea of wanting to change the point of view," said Garrone, whose previous movies include the crime dramas "Gomorrah" and "Dogman". Almost 115,300 boat migrants have reached Italy so far this year against 61,870 at the same point in 2022. "Me Captain" is the second film tackling the theme of immigration at this year's Venice Film Festival, following "Green Border", which depicted the nightmares awaiting migrants at the crossing between Poland and Belarus.

Persons: Matteo Garrone, Garrone, Seydou Sarr, Crispian Balmer, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, United Nations, Golden Lion, Thomson Locations: VENICE, Italy, Venice, Africa, Europe, Libya, France, Senegal, Morocco, Poland, Belarus

[1/2] Thousands of young Nigeriens gather as they heed call to sign up as non-military volunteers to back up the junta in the capital Niamey, Niger August 19, 2023. That is what made us halt this census," Hima said by the stadium after the crowds dispersed. POSSIBLE ATTACK"They called on the youth to respond to a possible attack on our soil. An ECOWAS delegation flew into Niamey on Saturday to hold talks with the junta, showing that efforts to resolve the standoff peacefully are still underway. At the stadium on Saturday, 35-year-old Kader Haliou said patriotism was not the only motivation for those wanting to help the junta.

Persons: Mahamadou, Mohamed Bazoum, Younoussa Hima, Hima, Tahirou Seydou, nodded, Kader Haliou, Alessandra Prentice, David Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Niger's, Young People, Fatherland, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, World Bank, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, NIAMEY, West, Africa's

☆ West African nations mull troop contributions for possible Niger intervention
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Boureima Balima | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

West African leaders gather for Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Head of States and Government meeting in Abuja, Nigeria August 10, 2023. ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) said all options were on the table and they still hoped for a peaceful resolution to the Niger crisis. Security analysts said an ECOWAS force could take weeks or longer to assemble, potentially leaving room for negotiations. Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara on Thursday promised to supply a battalion of troops to the standby force. The African Union welcomed ECOWAS' decision to activate a regional force and continue to seek a diplomatic solution.

Persons: Abraham Achirga, Mohamed Bazoum, Alassane Ouattara, Sering Modou, Ledgerhood Rennie, Ikemesit Effiong, Hama Moussa, Issa Seydou, Antony Blinken, Bazoum, They’ve, Pap, Ange Aboa, Alberto Dabo, Alphonso Toweh, Diadie, Edward McAllister, Anait Miridzhanian, Nellie Peyton, David Lewis, Ingrid Melander, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Economic Community, West African States, REUTERS, ECOWAS, Economic, West, Ivory, SBM Intelligence, African Union, Military, EU, Rights Watch, Thomson Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, NIAMEY, Niger, West, Central Africa, West African States, Ivory Coast, Ivorian, Senegal, Sahel, U.S, Niamey, Russia, France, United States, Mali, Burkina Faso, Banjul, Abidjan, Bissau, Monrivia, Diadie Ba, Dakar

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