Film Screening: Zerzura (2017)

Kick back at the Q House to enjoy the feature-length film Zerzura (2017). Pulling double duty as the leading role and soundtracked by the isolated guitar intricacies of Ahmoudou Madassane, Zerzura follows the journey of a young Nigerian man in his search for an enchanted oasis, and explores key themes of migration and exoticism. Directed and co-produced by Christopher Kirkley, and written and developed by a local Tuareg cast, this genre-defying film acts as a modern folktale merged with elements of ethnofiction. Creating a dynamic approach to the hero’s journey, Zerzura offers a mystifying viewing experience as what has been dubbed the “first-ever ethnographic acid Western.”

This film will be introduced by Christopher Kirkley, the film's director and the owner of Sahel Sounds. 

Christopher Kirkley is an ethnographer focused on the Sahelian countries of West Africa. His work both documents and produces cultural artifacts through field recordings, mp3 archiving, cellphone data collection, and experimental filmmaking. Driven by an ethos of collaborative practice, his projects are experiments in cross-cultural experiences. Spanning cultural barriers and borders for multiple audiences, Christopher believes that we can reveal ethnographic truths through artistic expression, imagination, and dreams. Under the label Sahel Sounds, he produces records and films that document popular musical phenomena, while working collaboratively with a number of artists across six countries.

About One City, One Read

Join the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, the New Haven Free Public Library, Yale Schwarzman Center, and partners across the city in celebrating the magnificent work of Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower as One City, One Read. Featuring events citywide inspired by and related to the core themes and values of Parable, there will be something for everyone: from performances and screenings to lectures, panels, and guided discussions.