Tonight, Monday, October 28th there will be a screening of director/producer Barbara Rick’s Girls of Daraja and School of My Dreams at the Pelham Picture House, 175 Wolfs Lane, Pelham, NY. 7:30pm. Buy tickets for $5
I’ve seen both films. They are stunning and inspirational.
A Q&A will follow with Barbara, Daraja Academy founders Jenni & Jason Doherty and cinematographer Jim Anderson.
Why become an Artists Without Walls’ member? Here’s what some of our friends are saying:
“The atmosphere is electric; it encourages creativity, imagination, and very importantly, friendship and discussion between like minds amongst the audience and the performers. Everybody is welcome at Artist’s Without Walls.” Eimear O’Connor, Ireland, author, Sean Keating: Art, Politics and Building the Irish Nation.
“This is a note of thanks for supporting my efforts through pictures and words these past months. I’ve been working as an actor for at least twenty five years now and I’ve never before been involved in anything quite like this. AWoW is a unique blessing. So happy to be a member.” Jack O’Connell, actor, New York
“Artists Without Walls feels like home to me. I just feel like I belong there.” Koro Koroye, poet and spoken word artist, Nigeria.
“I’m always amazed at the talent AWoW gathers, and I’m honored to share the same stage with such talented artists. Once again AWoW proved they are the United Nations of the NYC cultural scene at NYC’s “Living Room.” The performers and audience included folks from Germany, Israel, Egypt, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Ireland and the United States. Great night!” Jim Rodgers, writer and attorney, New York
“Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to present to the group, last night. And I was delighted to read a few pages from my book Twisted Head for the wonderfully diverse and highly sophisticated audience. It’s great work that AWoW is doing!” Carl Caportorto, “Little Paulie” in the Sopranos, New York
“It was a privilege to read for a packed house at the Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre. It feels like home to be in the midst of such talent and support. Artists Without Walls is a family that I’m extremely grateful to be a part of.” Colin Broderick, author That’s That, Belfast, Ireland and New York.
“It was great to see AWoW in action once again at Lehman College doing what it does so beautifully – making great art accessible and connecting artists with each other and with new audiences.” Barbara Rick, filmmaker, New York.
“I was very impressed by the talented individuals I met when I attended one of your “Showcases.” I would love to become a member and participate in the upcoming showcases. I am a screenwriter and playwright from Israel, with professional experience in the Israeli film and theater industry.” Tzila Levy, filmmaker, Israel.
“An enthusiastic, standing-room-only crowd filled the Cell Theater last night — an evening showcase of writing, acting, music, and dance. Founders Charles R. Hale and Niamh Hyland’s focus on the interests of the group’s membership suggests that members will shape AWoW’s development — an “open source” approach that foreshadows a future of diverse and experimental performances spanning multiple artistic disciplines.” Ed McCann, writer/producer/editor, New York
Who is Barbara Rick?
An award-winning filmmaker, journalist, and writer. Screenwriter. Episodic series writer/creator. President and founder of Out of the Blue Films Inc., an independent documentary nonprofit devoted to exceptional storytelling that explores, articulates, and celebrates humanity.
What are you currently working on?
Seeking new commissions from philanthropists, major corporations, and nonprofits eager to harness the power of film and storytelling to excite and inspire others.
We’re also finding new audiences to connect with our work and with executive producer Deborah Santana we’re focused on outreach and distribution for our new films on high school girls in Kenya who are changing the world: “School of My Dreams” Trailer and “Girls of Daraja” Trailer
And I’m now writing and developing episodic television dramas and a single-camera comedy. Crafting a pilot with a dear friend and colleague in L.A. via Skype. And I’m getting ready to do a new draft of a feature film script inspired by the subject of one of my documentaries.
What honors have you received for your filmmaking?
Three Emmys (national and local), a DuPont Columbia award honorable mention, and a Peabody award for a WNBC-TV documentary I produced with veteran reporter Gabe Pressman on the crisis of New York’s mentally ill homeless. During my tenure as a news writer and producer for ABC News, writing broadcast copy for the anchors, I was part of the team that won Peabody awards for 9/11 coverage and the tsunami in Thailand. My independent films have received invitations to screen at film festivals around the world winning Audience Favorite, Best Documentary, Best Director, and Jury Prize honors and have been broadcast widely.
Do you have an upcoming event or showing you’d like people to attend?
I invite people to check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/ootbfilms And please ‘like’ our Out of the Blue Films Facebook Page: And Twitter! @OuttaTheBlu and @brickdoc. That’s how Artists Without Walls’ cofounder Charles R. Hale and I first connected, as Twitter pals. : )
Who are the filmmakers you admire?
Albert Maysles (Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens, Salesman), Barbara Kopple, Agnes Varda. Was thrilled to work alongside Al Maysles on our film about an American nun taking on the Vatican over her ministry to gay and lesbian Catholics – IN GOOD CONSCIENCE. I also bow to Krzysztof Kieslowski, Hitchcock, Spielberg, Ang Lee, Claire Denis, Jane Campion, Nancy Savoca. And in television, Tom Fontana, Matthew Weiner, Shonda Rhimes, Lena Dunham, David Simon, Alan Ball, David Chase, Terence Winter, Beau Willimon.
Who or what is your greatest inspiration and why?
Nelson Mandela is the person I admire most on the planet. He refused to take hatred of his captors outside the prison gates after those twenty-seven years behind bars because – in his words – ‘then they would still have me. I wanted to be free so I let it go.’ So brilliant. Forgiveness as a winning strategy and facing one’s fiercest enemies without rancor seems to me the highest form of humanity. Meeting President Mandela on a film shoot with my husband, cinematographer Jim Anderson, in 2006 with a delegation from Artists for a New South Africa remains a highlight of my life. Filming inside Mr. Mandela’s cell on Robben Island changed me on a profound level. My deepest gratitude to Deborah Santana for that opportunity and to Alfre Woodard who made the introduction. All our thoughts are with him and his family in these recent difficult days.
What are the top five things you’d like to accomplish in the next five years?
To be of greater service to people and ideas that matter. To have the shows and ideas I’m working on now come to fruition. I’m excited about selling these projects, a couple of feature screenplays with great directors attached, and directing my own features too.
What was the best gift that someone gave you that inspired or facilitated an interest in your art?
We have received funding over the years from so many generous foundations and individuals – Susan Sarandon, Ellen DeGeneres, Agnes Gund, Tom Fontana, Trudie Styler, N. Peter Hamilton, Mary Catherine Bunting, Deborah Santana, and many others. This helped us to move forward as a creative company and continue making films. It also enabled me to explore still photography as an additional storytelling tool. That’s been a joy. My photographs have become a kind of emotional signature in my most recent films.
“Out of the Blue Films” website
“Out of the Blue” Facebook page
Barbara Rick’s award winning films “Girls of Daraja” and “School of My Dreams” air tomorrow, Monday, June 24th at 8:00pm ET on DIRECTV Channel 375 and DISH Network Ch. 9410, and anytime on this link when you click on the shows — http://www.linktv.org/
Artists Without Walls “Showcase at The Cell Theater,” Tuesday 7pm, 338 W23rd St. Free event
Peter/Wendy at The Cell Theater, Thursday, June 27, 28, 29, 8pm. Tickets $10-15. Click here for ticket information
Marni Rice’s composition for solo accordion is featured in a short film called “Subterranean Love” by Robert Haufrecht, Friday, June 28th, 3:45pm at The Philadelphia Independent Film Festival. Here is a short video trailer link: Click here for a short video trailer
Honor Finnegan performing at the Soulful Sundown Coffeehouse Series, The Unitarian Universalists Church at Shelter Rock. 48 Shelter Rock Road Manhasset, NY, Friday, 7:30pm. Free event
Colin Broderick, author of “That’s That,” reading at An Beal Bocht Cafe, 445 W 238th St, Bronx, NY 10463, Friday, 8pm. Phone:(718) 884-7127. Free event
Sunday 10AM, March 10, Charles R. Hale joins Professor Cherie Ann Turpin for a one hour radio broadcast: “At the Edge: An Afrofuturist Salon,” 10AM (Call in on 347-215-7908 if you’d like to chat or you can go to the site and listen.
AT THE EDGE: AN AFROFUTURIST SALON
Sunday, 4PM, March 10, at MIST Harlem Cinema, the Premiere of Barbara Rick’s Film “School of My Dreams.” Tickets $13
WORLD PREMIERE OF “SCHOOL OF MY DREAMS
Wednesday, March 13, 7PM, Mary O’s, St. Paddy’s Party at Mary O’s, 32 Avenue A, between 2nd and 3rd. Tara O’Grady and the Black Velvet Band
