"THE FIRST RASTA" By Helen Lee - Chicago Premiere - One Week Only! 1/6-1/12/12

Dec. 28, 2011 - PRLog -- CHICAGO PREMIERE!
ONE WEEK ONLY!
THE FIRST RASTA
(LE PREMIER RASTA)

By popularizing reggae internationally, Bob Marley became the global ambassador for Rastafarians, a Jamaican spiritual movement formed from the union of black nationalism and messianic Christianity. Yet the wide circulation of Rasta iconography — not to mention ceremonial clouds of ganja smoke — has stripped it of its original context and political content. The First Rasta tells the life of Rastafarianism's founder, Leonard Percival Howell, from precocious anti-colonialist to world traveler and social visionary. In the early 20th century, Howell set sail around the world and, during his journey, sampled ideologies from anarchism to bolshevism as well as from Marcus Garvey to psychoanalysis. In 1939, he returned to Jamaica enlightened and “Gong” Howell set up the Pinnacle, the first Rastafarian community. Utilizing archival footage, police reports, traditional voiceover narration, and interviews with Howell's followers, acquaintances, and relatives, director Hélène Lee, who has  also written a book about the subject matter, goes beyond the clichés associated with Rasta, and attempts to correct this cultural amnesia.  

Directed by Hélène Lee and Christophe Farnarier, France/Mauritius, 2011, 90 mins.

SHOWTIMES:

Fri., Jan. 6 at 7 & 9 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 7 at 1, 3 & 5 p.m.
Sun., Jan, 8 at 7 & 9 p.m.
Mon.-Thurs., Jan. 9-12 at 7 & 9 p.m.

Tickets:  $9.00 general admission.

Visit FACETS web site here: http://www.facets.org/pages/cinematheque/films/jan2012/fi...

View FIRST RASTA TRAILER  here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHjI_Lff8Cs



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Held in NYC, Chicago, DC and Jersey City, the African Diaspora Film Festival (ADFF) features programs around urban, classic, foreign & independent films that explore the richness and diversity of the life experience of people of color all over the world.