Film
The African Desperate
Bridging the worlds of contemporary art and film, Martine Syms follows 24 introspective yet wild hours in the life of Palace, a visual artist finding her way just after graduating from a predominantly white MFA program in upstate New York. This autobiographical story, starring Diamond Stingily and inspired by Syms’ time at Bard College, satirizes the racism of the art world, tracing reactions to Palace’s inclusion in the Venice Biennale and her very presence. Part comedy, part hallucinatory fever dream, part jaded rom-com, this extraordinary and singular debut is marked by Syms’ celebrated command of the artistic conversation. Its extravagant visual style and bold editing redefine what’s possible on the big screen—seeding even more for Syms to pioneer in her landmark, multidisciplinary body of work.
Join us for a post-screening Q&A with director Martine Syms, moderated by Naomi Fry, following the 7pm screening Fri, Sep 16.
Leadership support for BAM Access Programs provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation.
Leadership support for BAM Film provided by the Ford Foundation and The Thompson Family Foundation
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From punk rock bangers to Broadway toe-tappers to Bollywood hits, these musicals bring to life stories of working-class heroes from across the globe.
In this series representing indie, avant-garde, and major directors, the acclaimed Los Angeles-based artist gathers eclectic films that influenced her debut feature, The African Desperate.
Tilda Swinton is a staid academic and Idris Elba is an imprisoned Djinn trying to tempt her into making a wish in this hallucinogenic story from Mad Max director George Miller.