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| "Out of Darkness" A Film with Compelling Substance |
Published:
3/9/2016 3:02:51 PM
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| Gifted young film documentarian Amadeuz Christ poses for a photo at the Central Station Building in North Charleston before a screening of his outstanding documentary “Out of Darkness” on February 27, 2016. Photo: Hakim Adbul-Ali |
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| Documentarian Amadeuz Christ signing a copy of his film “Out of Darkness” for an admiring fan at Mr. Christ’s North Charleston’s Black History Month screening. Photo: Hakim Adbul-Ali |
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By Hakim Abdul-Ali
There are some films, when they are produced and when they hit the theaters, are simply powerless cinematic productions with no redeeming meaning or value whatsoever to their productions. Most of them are shallow depictions of aimless intents and embarrassing nothingness.
Unfortunately, many of these flicks, which are aimed at the minority viewing markets, especially the Afro-American and overall unsuspecting youth audiences, are not worth watching in any favorable effectual shape, manner or form. And then there a few films that deserve to be seen and discussed with a sophisticated air of intelligence and thoughtfulness.
Well, there's a film that's presently out now that's in that genre, and it's a must see film for the conscious and positive thinking African-American masses, and it's called "Out of Darkness." This is a very perceptive and remarkable film documentary, and it's really one documentary that you have to witness, because it's a sharp cinematic feature that's rooted in intuitively and educationally sound "our-storical" wisdom and appreciative scholarship.
"Out of Darkness" was screened here in the Lowcountry during Black History Month on February 27, 2016, at the Central Station Building by that building's cultural group's leadership on Remount Road in North Charleston, South Carolina, during one of its programmed monthly events. Those in attendance left with a renewed sense of understanding about the profound awesomeness, deep plight and judicious challenge(s) of the depth of the African genius facing today's and future Africans and African-Americans.
This dynamic film written, developed and directed by Amadeuz Christ tells the untold history of African people and the African cultural contribution to the world exploring the Nubian and Kushitic origins of Nile Valley civilization, the early African presence in the Americas and the contribution of the Moors in Europe.
Mr. Christ, 34, a native of Oakland, California, who now calls the Atlanta, Georgia, area home, is a serious young film maker and documentarian. He's an extremely polite, laid back and conscious young man who revealed that he was driven to make this film because of his late-in-life interest in discovering and studying Black History.
A 2011 graduate of San Jose State University, Mr. Christ explained his deep and committed emotional ties to wanting to do this film. He related "I had to do this film because of what I was feeling and learning after taking a year off in 2013 to just seriously study the history of our people.
"I wanted to do a film about us that would uplift us. In 2012, I knew nothing about us, our history. No one ever told me about ancient Egypt or the Moors, so I started doing my own research and I found that most of world history is African History. From top-to-bottom, I pretty much put this documentary together through my research and film editing and production skills."
The riveting film, "Out of Darkness," in addition to what was mentioned previously, also analyses the false notion of "White supremacy," the origins of hip-hop and the concept of African manhood. It truly is a tour de force.
The magnificent documentary features noted scholars like Dr. Umar Johnson, Tony Browder, Dr. Claud Anderson, Tim Wise, Taj Tarik Bey and Sabir Bey commenting on the realistic truths of African History and the miseducation and dilemmas that Black people have had to deal with and still do. Also starring in the film are notable teachers like Professor James Smalls, Dr. Joy Degruy, Kaba Kamene and Atlantis Browder.
Covering three acts, with thirteen topics, the film explores many diverse issues that are pertinent to all conscious and aware people of color seeking legitimate knowledge of self. To say that this film is relevant is an understatement in the highest form of misunderstanding.
Act one topics, featuring five initial centers of discussion, are War on History, Nile Valley Civilization, Burden of Proof, Out of Afrika and The Age of Enlightenment. They set the tone for more penetrating subject matter to come in the next act.
With five more scholarly topical explosives, the next act covers Post Trauma, Racism and White Supremacy, Cognitive Dissonance, Illusion of Inclusion, and Conquest of the Mind, holding and filling the viewers intellectual interest with timely information. This act made me think deeply about today's so-called self-denial states of Black awareness circles in America that exists in some sectors.
The documentary concludes with the final three topics, Hip-Hop, Illuminati and Nationhood. Up to the point and fully African based, this engaging segment speaks to what really is happening in the present intellectual arenas about the responsibility of being Black in America.
Amadeuz Christ is a name you should remember because this talented young visionary is already at work gathering information and ideas about his next awareness film projects. He's a refreshing genius in the making, who's about writing, directing, producing and presenting something positive for Black Americans and others to see and to think about.
As a longtime cultural critic for "The Charleston Chronicle," I strongly suggest that you get a copy of this very relevant mind expanding documentary. All forty copies that were available at the screening were sold out immediately with twenty-four hours after word got out about this exclusive documentary.
It has been screened in Detroit, Houston, Atlanta and Selma, Alabama, to enthusiastic reviews, as it has now been done in Charleston. Contact outofdarkness.com for further info, or call locally 843.952.8450 for additional insights about this compelling documentary.
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