Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges au TIFF de Trinidad et Tobago !

Quelques images qui illustrent le succès du film sur le Chevalier de Saint-Georges présenté au TIFF de Trinidad. Cette information est tardive puisque le festival s’est tenu en septembre 2008.

Les deux trop modestes réalisateurs ont tout simplement oublié de raconter ce bel évènement.

De plus, les Trinidadiens enchantés par Saint-Georges et sa musique ont décidé de faire venir l’orchestre qui a participé au tournage et contribuer au succès de ce film. Vous connaissez le célèbre film AMADEUS, vous devriez regarder ce vibrant récit du voyage à Cuba du Chevalier de Saint-Georges. 

Stephanie James of Guadeloupe, co-director/producer of the Black Mozart in Cuba.

Trinidadian Steven James, husband of Stephanie James and director of the Black Mozart in Cuba.

Steven James’s proud parents.

 
The enthusiastic crowd made for a lively Q&A session after the screening of the film.

The Black Mozart in Cuba & Venezuelan short films

Screenshot from the Black Mozart of Cuba.

Who was Joseph Boulogne? That was a question perhaps most of the audience were asking themselves before yesterday’s screening of the Black Mozart in Cuba. After the film, however, the question everyone was asking was: why hadn’t we heard of Le Chevalier de St George before?

Joseph Boulogne, Le Chevalier de St George, was a classical composer and violin virtuoso born in Guadeloupe in the mid 18th century. A mulatto, the son of a slave and her master, he achieved enormous success in Paris and was said to be Marie Antoinette’s favourite musician. He was also a top fencer, and led a regiment of coloured soldiers during the French Revolution. Yet when he died in 1799 he was all but forgotten, allegedly the result of a campaign by Napoleon to have him erased from history.

Screenshot from the Black Mozart of Cuba.

Interest in Le Chevalier began to rekindle about 40 years ago; the film the Black Mozart is the latest act in the rehabilitation of the memory of this extraordinary human being. What makes the film more than just a typical biographical documentary, however, is its skillful combining of the life of the man with a look at a festival of events held in Cuba a few years ago to celebrate his life and work. The result is a truly engaging and important film.
Running Time : 52 minutes
Origin : Guadeloupe
Year : 2006
Director :Stephen James

Joseph Boulogne, Le Chevalier de St George, was a classical composer and violin virtuoso born in Guadeloupe in the 18th century. The son of a slave and her master, he achieved enormous success in Paris and was said to be Marie Antoinette’s favourite musician and to have influenced the great composer, Mozart. Le Chevalier also fought bravely for the French Revolution, yet when he died in 1799 he was all but forgotten, and almost completely erased from history. This film tells the fascinating story of the so-called Black Mozart. In particular, it documents what took place when a ballet about his life and featuring his music was staged in Cuba a few years ago, and how his story served as an inspiration to all those involved in the project.

Stephen James
Born in Trinidad, a multi-talented artist with experiences ranging from music to film making. A successful writer /composer, sound engineer and director who in 2002 founded, with Stephanie James, SHAKTI PRODUCTIONS in 2002. Their main production, Women West Indies, a television magazine dedicated to Caribbean women is now broadcasted on Gayelle in Trinidad, throughout the Caribbean on Carib Vision, and in many regions around the world through the French RFO network. They are currently producing their new series, Women West Indies Diaspora, which will highlight Caribbean women who succeeded around the globe.The Black Mozart in CubaScreening Times: