Join Us Tonight on Bravo! for the Launch of Heart Beat - 13xhalf-hour profiles of musicians

Tonight tune in to Bravo for Ep 1 of our brand new documentary series Heart Beat, featuring Master Drummer Muhtadi.

View the Trailer for the show right here.

And to celebrate the Series launch, last week CKLN 88.1's Verlia Stevens sat down in studio with Muhtadi to talk about the series, his music and his life. It's a riveting half hour interview: If you missed it on CKLN 88.1 on Monday night catch it on our podcast!



Listen to Verlia Stevens interviewing Muhtadi on CKLN 88.1FM

CaribbeanTales and Leda Serene Films are proud to present...
Heart Beat
in association with Bravo! and Gayelle The Channel (Trinidad)

"We all have a heart, which is a drum, beating the rhythm of life..."
Muhtadi, Master Drummer.

Heart Beat is a 13 x 1/2hr documentary series that profiles Canadian-Caribbean musicians and explores the hearts, minds and worlds of some of Canada's most dynamic musical creators.

Thirteen beautifully crafted point -of-view documentaries profiling artists like: Master drummer Muhtadi, World-beat band Kobo Town, Juno award-winning trumpeter Nick "Brownman" Ali, MOJAH, steel pannist and cultural activist Ian Jones, Cuban singer/songwriter Alex Cuba and Canada's still unbeaten Calypso Queen Macomere Fifi, to name but a few.The series is created and produced by award-winning filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon, and directed with panache and passion by Lana Lovell, Safiya Randera, Paul Nguyen, Andrea Stewart, Justin Lovell, Mars Horodyski, and Alberto Suarez.

Grateful thanks to Steve Stober for allowing us to use the photo above of Muhtadi.

Updates &...

...Reminders...

On Sunday 25th November: Following a "Filmmakers' Brunch" hosted by the NYADFF, A Winter Tale will receive it's second New York screening.

Where & When: THALIA THEATRE
2537 Broadway at 95th Street @ 6pm

To order tickets for A Winter Tale : (212) 864-1760 or Click here

On Monday 26th November: the Trane Studio presents a special screening of What My Mother Told Me, and 2 new docs from the Heart Beat series.

Where & When: Trane Studio,
964 Bathurst Street, @ 7pm

Tuesday November 27th: "Heart Beat" 13 beautifully crafted point-of-view documentaries profiling Caribbean artists in Canada, premieres on bravo at 7pm!

A Winter Tale @ The 15th NY African Diaspora Film Festival

Dear Friends:

Thank you for coming out in such numbers to the extraordinary Tribute to Jamaica's icon Leonie Forbes, hosted by the Jamaican Consulate in New York yesterday evening.

I sincerely hope that you will join Miss Forbes, actor Peter Williams and other members of our cast for the Opening Night Gala for A Winter Tale at the New York African Diaspora Film Festival on November 23rd.

Please invite your friends. Spread the word!

See you there,
Frances-Anne Solomon
Director.

Where & When: ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES
32 Second Avenue @ 2nd Street @ 7.45 pm

The screening will be followed by a reception and Opening Night Party.

On Sunday 25th November: Following a "Filmmakers' Brunch" hosted by the NYADFF, A Winter Tale will receive it's second New York screening.

Where & When: THALIA THEATRE
2537 Broadway at 95th Street

To order tickets for A Winter Tale : (212) 864-1760 or Click here
For more information about the festival please consult the New York African Diaspora Film festival website.

***************************************************************************
About "A WINTER TALE" (Canada, 2007)

Frances-Anne Solomon's award-winning feature A Winter Tale tells the emotional story of a Black men's support group that begins to meet at a Caribbean restaurant, following the shooting death of a young child. It features a talented ensemble cast led by Canadian stars Peter Williams and Michael Miller, and Caribbean icons Leonie Forbes and Dennis "Sprangalang" Hall.

The movie opened this year's ReelWorld Film Festival, and took home the Tonya Lee Williams Award for Outstanding Canadian Feature. Since then it has been touring the international festival circuit, to acclaim by media and audiences alike.

"A Winter Tale is an intensely powerful story about the reinstallation of moral responsibility in Toronto's black male community. Its prime movers walk it in real life like they talk it in this must-see fiction feature... - The Montreal Gazette

"...violence is not a spectator sport, and nowhere in this film could you simply watch — you felt the call to action, and even discussion." Expose Entertainment Magazine.

The New York African Diaspor Film festival is the largest showcase of Black Films on the East Coast, this year presenting more than 100 film over 17 days and featuring an eclectic mix of Urban, Classic, Foreign and Independent films including many World and US premieres.

For more information about the film, please visit AWinterTale.ca
For festival Info please visit The 15th NY African Diaspora Film Festival.

Nigerian scam.

Nigerian scam using my name.

If you receive the below from "me" - do not send money, it's a well-documented "Nigerian" fraud scam. I have been locked out of this account (awintertale@gmail.com), and cannot do anything to stop it. I have reported it to the police, and written to google, but they haven't responded yet. I apologise to everyone on my mail list.

Here are links to other "victims" of the scam:
http://groups.google.com.sb/group/Gmail-Problem-solving/browse_thread/thread/0a6a4e4bf2a639e3/ed7630ce36acca23?#ed7630ce36acca23
http://taxiplasm.net/2007/10/13/my-gmail-was-hacked/
http://gmailhijacking.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/gmail-account-hacked-into-and-hijacked-google-refuses-help-with-this/
http://groups.google.com/group/Gmail-Problem-solving/browse_thread/thread/2acd04c3c3bf3bb1

The letter:

EMERGENCY!!! (I NEED YOUR URGENT HELP)

Hello,

How are you doing today? I am sorry i didn't inform you about my traveling to Africa for a program called "Empowering Youth to Fight Racism, HIV/AIDS, Poverty and Lack of Education, the program is taking place in three major countries in Africa which is Ghana , South Africa and Nigeria . It has been a very sad and bad moment for me, the present condition that i found myself is very hard for me to explain.

I am really stranded in Nigeria because I forgot my little bag in the Taxi where my money, passport, documents and other valuable things were kept on my way to the Hotel am staying, I am facing a hard time here because i have no money on me. I am now owning a hotel bill of $1,600 and they wanted me to pay the bill soon or else they will have to seize my bag and hand me over to the Hotel Management., I need this help from you urgently to help me back home, I need you to help me with the hotel bill and i will also need $1,800 to feed and help myself back home so please can you help me with a sum of $3,400 to sort out my problems here? I need this help so much and on time because i am in a terrible and tight situation here, I don't even have money to feed myself for a day which means i had been starving, so please understand how urgent i needed your help.

I am sending you this e-mail from the city Library, I will appreciate what so ever you can afford to send me for now and I promise to pay back your money as soon as i return home. So please use the details of the hotel manager below to transfer the money to me through Western Union money transfer because that is the only way i could be able to get it fast and leave because i need an id to pick up the money through western union. This is the information below....

Name: David Brooks
Address: 16 Johson Street
City : Victoria Island
State : Lagos
Country : Nigeria
Zip Code : 23401
Text question: To who
Answer: Frances

After you have send the money, email to me the western union money transfer control number or you can attach and forward to me the western union money transfer receipt so that i can pick up the money and leave.

Hope to hear from you soon. Although, the embassy here have promised to give me a covering travelling papers that i will need to have my way back home, all i need right now is the money to settle up the bills and leave.

Love - best wishes
Frances-Anne
Frances-Anne Solomon
Leda Serene Films & CaribbeanTales
99 Gore Vale Avenue
Toronto, Ontario

MOVIE NIGHT @ THE TRANE STUDIO

Please come to MOVIE NIGHT at the TRANE - and see WHAT MY MOTHER TOLD ME, as well as previews of two more of our stunning HEART BEAT DOCS.

HEART BEAT begins airing weekly on BRAVO! from November 27th @ 7pm.

On Monday 26th Novemember, the Trane Studio has invited me to present a special screening of my controversial award-winning film What My Mother Told Me.

"Exquisitely beautiful and profoundly moving, WHAT MY MOTHER TOLD ME is the story of Jesse, a young woman from England, who goes to Trinidad to bury her father. Reluctantly she agrees to meet her mother, whom she thought had abandoned her when she was a child. Her mother tells her stories, revealing a troubled and violent past."

WHAT MY MOTHER TOLD ME premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1996 and was a Toronto Star Best of Festival. It's won awards at: The Festival of Black International Cinema, Berlin - Best Film Depicting The Black Experience, Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival - HBO Best Feature, and Through Her Eyes Women of Color Film Festival - Producer's Choice Award ... among others.

ALSO SCREENING: two more documentaries from our hugely popular Heart Beat Series, that will have it's worldwide television premiere on Bravo! on November 27th at 7pm.

KOBO TOWN: STORYTELLING
directed by Safiya Randera

and

SAIDA BABA TALIBAH:
STEPPING OUT
directed by Mars Horodyski.

I'm hoping that Safiya and Mars may come along to talk about their work.

What an incredible evening! Don't miss it...

CaribbeanTales and Leda Serene Films are proud to present...
Heart Beat
in association with Bravo! and Gayelle The Channel (Trinidad)

"We all have a heart, which is a drum, beating the rhythm of life..."
Muhtadi, Master Drummer.

Heart Beat is a 13 x 1/2hr documentary series that profiles Canadian-Caribbean musicians and explores the hearts, minds and worlds of some of Canada's most dynamic musical creators.

Thirteen beautifully crafted point -of-view documentaries profiling artists like: Master drummer Muhtadi, World-beat band Kobo Town, Juno award-winning trumpeter Nick "Brownman" Ali, MOJAH, steel pannist and cultural activist Ian Jones, Cuban singer/songwriter Alex Cuba and Canada's still unbeaten Calypso Queen Macomere Fifi, to name but a few.The series is created and produced by award-winning filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon, and directed with panache and passion by Lana Lovell, Safiya Randera, Paul Nguyen, Andrea Stewart, Justin Lovell, Mars Horodyski, and Alberto Suarez.

Leonie Forbes & Peter Williams to be recognised in New York

Leonie Forbes to be honored by Consulate General of Jamaica in New York

Toronto – November 7, 2007

Actor and Broadcaster Leonie Forbes will be honored at a special reception being hosted by the Jamaican Consulate General in New York on Tuesday November 20, 2007, to recognize her work as a film artist who has achieved success in the Jamaican and international industries.

Also being recognized at the event will be Jamaican-Canadian film and television star Peter Williams.

Both actors will be in New York to attend the reception and screening of their award-winning feature film, A Winter Tale, which will have its US premiere as the Opening Night Gala at the New York African Diaspora Film Festival on November 23rd.

Known as Jamaica’s First Lady of Theatre and Film, Leonie Forbes began her career training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.

Her talent, drive, and dynamism established her as one of the Caribbean's most respected artists. She has received many awards including: the Order of Distinction from the Jamaican government; the silver and bronze Musgrave (top awards of the arts, culture and science in Jamaica); and the Institute of Jamaica's Centenary Medal. Forbes graced the silver screen in major Hollywood pictures, performed in dozens of theatrical productions, and has worked as a radio broadcaster and programmer in Jamaica. Her selected credits include: Old Story Time, Arawak Gold, Champagne and Sky Juice, and Smile Orange. Her film and television credits include: Shattered Image, Milk and Honey, Passion and Paradise, What My Mother Told Me, and Children of Babylon.

In 2003 Forbes starred in the ground-breaking Caribbean-Canadian sitcom Lord Have Mercy for which she was nominated for a Gemini Award - Canada's equivalent of the Emmys - in the category of Best Actress in a Comedy or Drama.

Forbes’ latest role is in Frances-Anne Solomon's powerful award-winning feature A Winter Tale, which has been selected to open the 15th African Diaspora Film Festival in Manhattan in November.

1995 Genie Nominee Peter Williams who stars in the film alongside Ms. Forbes, is one of Canada's finest actors. Williams has built his impressive career acting in Canadian films such as "Soul Survivor", directed by his brother acclaimed Hollywood director Steven Williams, and "Love Come Down" directed by Clement Virgo, as well as many Hollywood film & television programs like "The Chronicles Of Riddick" and "Stargate SG-1".

A Winter Tale tells the emotional story of a Black men's support group that begins to meet at a local Caribbean Takeaway restaurant after the shooting death of a young child. It features a talented ensemble cast, including Forbes and Williams, and took home the Outstanding Canadian Feature Film Award at the prestigious ReelWorld Film Festival, as well as Best Feature at the Trinidad Film Festival, among several other awards.

A Winter Tale will have its Gala premiere at the ADFF on November 23rd, with additional screenings on November 25th and Dec 1st.

Heart Beat Launch

The "Heart beat" Launch, October 30th 2007 was a great success!. Thanks to you all for coming and packing out the place.

Please visit this link for some photos from last night’s event. Heart Beat begins airing on Bravo on November 27th at 7pm.

Too bad we only had time to screen two of the docs - though very well received. But on Monday 26th November, The Trane has invited me to screen my film What My Mother Told Me, and we plan to show at least one if not more of the Heart Beat docs then. We'll let you know which one(s) closer to the time.

Photo: Good thing someone had the sense to take decent pics that evening, as though I'm here with a camera, I had my hands full. Here are JoJo and Fergus of the Satallites on either side of Brownman, moi in the middle, Alberto Suarez (director of "The Life and Times of Brown") and Drew Gonzalves from the band Kobo Town.

"Heart Beat" is a 13 x 1/2hr documentary series that profiles Canadian-Caribbean musicians and explores the hearts, minds and worlds of some of Canada's most dynamic musical creators.

Thirteen beautifully crafted point -of-view documentaries profiling artists like: Master drummer Muhtadi, World-beat band Kobo Town, Juno award-winning trumpeter Nick "Brownman" Ali, MOJAH, steel pannist and cultural activist Ian Jones, Cuban singer/songwriter Alex Cuba and Canada's still unbeaten Calypso Queen Macomere Fifi, to name but a few.

The series is created and produced by award-winning filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon, and directed with panache and passion by Lana Lovell, Safiya Randera, Paul Nguyen, Andrea Stewart, Justin Lovell, Mars Horodyski, and Alberto Suarez.

Caribbean Tales and Leda Serene Films are proud to present...
"Heart Beat"
in association with Bravo! and Gayelle The Channel (Trinidad)

"We all have a heart, which is a drum, beating the rhythm of life..."
Muhtadi, Master Drummer.