Conversation With Ayuko Babu : ‘Film Can Create New Levels of Understanding’

Q: Why is a Pan-African Film Festival necessary?

A: Considering the American involvement in Somalia and the Congressional Black Caucus’ concern about the civil war in Angola, it’s time Americans know more about African nations than just the war and famine presented in the news.

We need to raise the level of understanding of African culture and history if we are to deal with African issues with more sophistication. Film can create new levels of understanding between people of different cultures.

Q: Does Southern California benefit from such a festival?

A: Yes, foreign film festivals are important because--in terms of racial and ethnic diversity--the whole world is here in Los Angeles. Angelenos have to deal with a world of diversity because of the heavy immigration. For example, about 200,000 Africans have immigrated to Los Angeles in the past 10 years.

Q: Many of the festival’s films were written and directed by Africans. How can those films promote understanding among Los Angeles residents?

A: Film broadens your understanding of your neighbors. I’ve watched foreign films to get an understanding of Chinese, Japanese and Korean cultures. Many of these cultural traits are maintained in Los Angeles. You can’t always get into the homes and get to know people of different races, but you can learn through film.

Some of the festival offerings provide insight to more than just the lives of immigrants. An Ethiopian director looks at the condition and mind-set of some African-Americans in “Sankofa,” a film we presented during this year’s festival. It’s an insightful film and Americans of Chinese or Latino descent could develop a better understanding of African-Americans by screening “Sankofa.” A lot of today’s films on African-American life concentrate on gang pathology and dysfunctional families. “Sankofa” is a different perspective.

Movies can break down stereotypes that begin at an early age. Last year, we showed a Spanish-language Cuban film to children. The film focused on a black family in Cuba. When it ended, we discussed the film. The Latino kids were shocked because they had not conceived of blacks as Spanish speakers. And the African-American kids were also surprised to see blacks speaking Spanish. It created an affinity among the kids and promoted a better understanding of the world.

Q: What has been the role of African-Americans in the entertainment industry in the effort to produce films set in Africa or the African diaspora?

A: There have been some important contributions recently. Arsenio Hall produced “Bopha,” the new film on the struggle in South Africa. Whoopi Goldberg showed great courage in getting another South African story--”Sarafina”--onto the screen. Whoopi, Danny Glover, Alfre Woodard and Rosalind Cash have all given personal support to our Pan-African Film Festival.

Generally, prominent African-Americans in the industry can do more. A film festival director can only do so much to promote general interest in topics. When you have star power, you can actually attract financing for film projects.

Q: How would you characterize the treatment of Africa or people of African descent in films produced and distributed by Hollywood?

A: We’re still getting stereotypes. There hasn’t been that much change. I don’t see much difference between “King Solomon’s Mines” and “Out of Africa” because both use Africa merely as a backdrop for romantic stories involving whites. I don’t see much difference between “The Gods Must Be Crazy” and “Tarzan” because both present Africans as undeveloped people. On the other hand, mainstream filmmakers of European descent don’t make films about the more undeveloped parts of Europe--places like Lapland and parts of Eastern Europe. The Western film industry likes to focus on the more developed sites such as London or Paris. They show the upside of European life.

We want to continue to produce festivals that present films that give us other perspectives of Africa and the African diaspora.