The exclusive gathering also included Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and filmmaker Raynald Leconte. This unforgettable evening was a precursor to the screening and discussion of Kelani’s film, “Amazing Grace, Yoruba Worlds,” scheduled to take place at the Brattke Theatre.
Tunde Kelani, known for his work in promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage through film, has had a storied career spanning over four decades. His production company, Mainframe Films and Television Productions, has adapted numerous Nigerian novels and plays into films, including “Koseegbe,” “Oleku,” and “The Narrow Path.”
The evening’s host, Professor Henry Louis ‘Skip’ Gates Jr., is a prominent American historian, literary critic, and filmmaker. He is known for his work on African-American culture and history, and has produced several documentaries, including “The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross” and “Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise.”
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, a Nigerian playwright and poet, is a prominent figure in African literature. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986 and has written numerous plays, novels, and poems that explore the complexities of Nigerian culture and identity. Filmmaker Raynald Leconte, known for his work on documentaries and feature films, has collaborated with Kelani on several projects. The screening and discussion of “Amazing Grace, Yoruba Worlds” promises to be an enlightening evening, with these legends sharing their insights and perspectives on Nigerian culture, history, and identity.
