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Beijing (TIP): China’s capital Beijing has closed city parks and imposed other restrictions as the country faces a new wave of covid cases.
Elsewhere, more than five million people were under lockdown on Nov 10 in the southern manufacturing hub Guangzhou and the western megacity Chongqing. The country reported 10,729 new cases on Friday, almost all of them testing positive while showing no symptoms. With the bulk of Beijing’s 21 million people undergoing near daily testing, another 118 new cases were recorded in the sprawling city. Many city schools switched to online classes, hospitals restricted services and some shops and restaurants were shuttered, with their staff taken to quarantine. Videos on social media showed people in some areas protesting or fighting with police and health workers. Chinese leaders promised on Thursday to respond to public frustration over its severe “zero-covid” strategy that has confined millions to their homes and severely disrupted the economy.
No details were offered other than a promise to release “stranded people” who have been in quarantine or blocked for weeks from leaving cities where there are cases. People from cities with a single case in the past week are barred from visiting Beijing, while travelers from abroad are required to be quarantined in a hotel for seven to 10 days — if they are able to navigate the timely and opaque process of acquiring a visa. Business groups say that discourages foreign executives from visiting, which has prompted companies to shift investment plans to other countries. Visits from US officials and lawmakers charged with maintaining the crucial trading relations amid tensions over tariffs, Taiwan and human rights have come to a virtual standstill.
Speculation on when measures will be eased has centred on whether the government is willing to import or domestically produce more effective vaccines, with the elderly population left particularly vulnerable. That could come as soon as next spring, when a new slate of officials are due to be named under Xi’s continuing leadership.
Or, restrictions could persist much longer if the government continues to reject the notion of living to learn with a relatively low level of cases that cause far fewer hospitalisations and deaths than when the pandemic was at its height. (PTI)
NEW YORK (TIP): NYC Mayor Eric Adams inaugurated Diwali celebrations in Times Square on October 15. The festival of Diwali marks the beginning of the Indian New Year. Deepavali – the Festival of Lights, this year falls on Oct 24 but the celebrations started a week before, in Times Square. Mayor Eric Adams, Senator Charles E. Schumer, India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal, NY State Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar – the first Indian American Assemblywoman, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine attended the event along with hundreds of Indian American community members.
“We acknowledge the Diwali, and we need to acknowledge the power of women and the significant role women play in our country, in our city. Let’s continue to lift our women as we lift up our country – our city,” said NYC Mayor Adams.
On October 20, Mayor announced that Diwali will be a public-school holiday in New York City starting in 2023. This sends a message about the significance of the city’s inclusiveness and the “long overdue” step will encourage children to learn about the festival of lights.
Consul General of India Randhir Jaiswal said, “Every year, we celebrate Diwali in Times Square but this year, it is somewhat different. It happened to be part of India’s 75th year of Independence.”
Renowned Oncologist Padma Shri Dr. Dattatreyudu Nori was recognized and honored for his lifetime excellent services to Health and Medicine by Mayor Eric Adam.
Times Square witnessed huge participation of members of Indian American community, Americans and others dressed up in traditional outfits from different states of India, showcasing India’s rich art, culture, and diversity. The Diwali Bazaar provided a variety of traditional Indian cuisines and sweets and merchandise for Diwali festivities.
The variety of traditional performances and lively acts by world-renowned artists like Jay Sean, Arjun, Rimi Nique, and Social Media fame artists Kiran + Nivi and Hrishi kept the audience glued for hours. 100s of students of Arya Dance Academy and Shiamak Davar School of Dance, Heeray, DanceX, presented dazzling dance shows at the event.
“We love our community, our Indian community, and we love that we all come together here in New York with our diversity,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer. He has been celebrating the festival of Diwali with the Indian American community in New York for many years.
“The Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist communities, you are so important to the city, and I wish you a holiday of light, prosperity, of happiness, health, and a wonderful year ahead,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine in his address.
Jennifer Rajkumar, the first Indian American NY State Assemblywoman was introduced by Mayor Eric Adams on the stage. “On the street, they call him – Mayor Eric Adams – a Hindu Mayor. A plant-based diet, and meditation, he does it all. I am honored to be the first Hindu elected to be in the NYS office. The first Indian woman but defiantly, not the last one,” she said.
Attendees were encouraged to take the advantage of Bivalent Vaccines at nearby COVID Clinics with the partnership of the “We Can Do This” campaign of Vaccines.gov, a Health & Human Services initiative. T
“We appreciate the support and cooperation from the authorities of the City of New York, NYPD, FDNY, Heath Department, Times Square Alliance, and other Government organizations to create yet another successful event at Times Square,” AR Helping Hands Foundation Diwali at Times Square organizer, Neeta Bhasin and Naresh Kumar said in a statement.
NEW YORK (TIP): Raj K. Chopra brings over 50 years of experience to the American health foods and vitamin industry as one of the world’s experts in chewable multivitamin formulations, timed-release formulations, and bio-enhanced supplements. His expertise in formulation, product development, nutrition research, and food technology has been fundamental to the founding and success of Tishcon. Tishcon Corp. is recognized for its focus on consumer needs and the drive to meet those needs with innovations in the production and manufacture of its United States Pharmacopeia compliant supplements. Chopra continues to support the company’s mission as Chairman Emeritus.
Chopra received the Gold Medal for Outstanding Academic Merit and University First Rank recognition from L. M. College of Pharmacy in India where he completed his undergraduate pharmacy studies in 1965, after which he went on to receive a full scholarship to attend Columbia University’s School of Pharmacy in the City of New York, where he completed his graduate studies and taught industrial pharmacy as well. Chopra later served as Technical Director of Private Formulations, Inc. for 9 and a half years. Raj K. Chopra has co-authored many papers and patents that have led to breakthroughs in the nutrition industry, including extensive research on CoQ10 and different means of delivery for the supplement. He is a member of several professional associations, including the American Pharmaceutical Association, the American Academy of Pharmaceutical Scientists, and the Institute of Food Technologists. Through Tishcon, Chopra has been instrumental in providing support for the American College of Nutrition as a National Nutrition Alliance member for years. In 2006, the American College of Nutrition honored Chopra as the 2006 Industry Recipient of the prestigious Bieber Award in recognition of “his outstanding academic accomplishments and distinguished contributions in the nutrition industry.”
Chopra has a deep concern for the underserved, and through Tishcon, has been an active supporter of Vitamin Angels, an organization that distributes essential nutrients and life-saving vitamins to so-called “third world countries,” and other similar charities. Over the last 20 years, Tishcon has donated over 20 million high potency vitamin A softgels to help prevent vitamin A deficiency blindness in infants and children, particularly in countries throughout Africa and South and Southeast Asia. They have also donated prenatal vitamins to supplement the diets of pregnant women and multivitamins for young children to fill in the nutrient gaps in their diets.
Chopra lives in Westbury, New York, with his dear beloved wife and partner of 54 years, Asha. He is blessed to be surrounded by his loving son, two daughters, one precious granddaughter, and his granddaughter’s cat.
Helen Cha-Pyo, Artistic Director (Photo / Courtesy Wharton Arts)
By Mabel Pais
Wharton Arts, New Jersey’s largest non-profit community performing arts education organization, proudly announces that Artistic Director Helen H. Cha-Pyo is one of 100 select individuals chosen to receive the prestigious Eastman School of Music Centennial Award. The award is granted to those who exemplify the school’s mission and legacy through their commitment to artistry, scholarship, leadership, community engagement, and philanthropy.
Cha-Pyo joins Renée Fleming, Ron Carter, Chuck Mangione, and Maria Schneider, among other notable artists, as a Centennial Awardee. For a complete list of awardees, visit rochester.edu/adv/eastman-centennial/centennial-awards.
Cha-Pyo said, “This award was a complete surprise to me, and needless to say, I’m deeply humbled by it. One thing I still carry in my heart from my studies at the Eastman School of Music is the phrase engraved on the facade of the Eastman Theater, ‘for the enrichment of community life.’ I am grateful to be able to work at Wharton Arts which shares the same mission of enriching life through music.”
HELEN CHA-PYO
Helen H. Cha-Pyo is currently in her fifth season as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts (WIPA), New Jersey’s largest independent performing arts education organization, comprising four programs. Under her leadership, Wharton Arts serves close nearly 2,000 students from 10 New Jersey counties through a range of private lessons and group classes at the Wharton Performing Arts School, 15 performing ensembles at the New Jersey Youth Symphony, five performing ensembles at the New Jersey Youth Chorus, and the Paterson Music Project, an El Sistema-inspired program that provides free after-school instrumental music instruction to over 450 children in Paterson, NJ.
Achievements
For 16 years as Music Director and Conductor of the Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO), Cha-Pyo inspired hundreds of young musicians to perform at the highest levels, resulting in ESYO being recognized as one of the nation’s premier music organizations for youth musicians. Cha-Pyo’s vision was instrumental in the founding of ESYO CHIME in 2015, a music education program dedicated to serving underprivileged youth of Schenectady and Troy, NY. In 2018, ESYO established the Helen Cha-Pyo Golden Baton Award and Scholarships for students who embody her passionate commitment to music as a means to uplift and enrich communities. From 1996 to 2002, Cha-Pyo served as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Riverside Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, as well as Associate Director of Music at The Riverside Church in New York City. She released three recordings with the Riverside Choir. (JAV Recordings)
Awards
Helen Cha-Pyo is the recipient of The Dove Leadership Award in 2019; the 2022 Angelos Artist Award from the Angelos Mission Ensemble; the Eastman Centennial Award from Eastman School of Music given to those who exemplify the school’s mission and legacy through their commitment to artistry, scholarship, leadership, community engagement, and/or philanthropy and the ASCAP’s (American Society of Composers, Authors, & Publishers) Adventurous Programming Awards for championing music by American composers.
Tours
She led the orchestra on three international tours: Europe in 2008, China and South Korea in 2012, and Portugal in 2016. Read more at helenchapyo.com.
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Wharton Arts Makes Key Appointments
(Clockwise, left to right): Debra Joyal, Roger Sweet, Eva Dooley, Andrew Nitkin, and Shanna Lin. (Photo : Courtesy Wharton Arts)
By Mabel Pais
“As we enter the second year of our five-year strategic plan, Wharton Arts is making key senior staff appointments in order to move the organization forward,” said Peter H. Gistelinck, Executive Director at Wharton Arts. “Continued investment in people is essential for any organization. We are confident that the continuity of our exemplary team will help us in achieving our ambitious goals.”
APPOINTMENTS
Shanna Lin, Director of Paterson Music Project (PMP) (Paterson Music Project)
As Co-Founder of the PMP program and her tenure of 10 years with Wharton Arts, it was logical to appoint Shanna Lin as Director of PMP, thus filling in the role of former PMP Director Elizabeth Mouthrop, recently appointed as Executive Director of El Sistema USA.
Debra Joyal, Director of Performing Arts School (PAS) (Wharton Performing Arts School)
Debra Joyal is a classically trained musician, administrator, skilled writer, and researcher in institutional funding and communication with degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA and Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her overall focus is on building connections to communicate the vision and mission of nonprofit organizations. She is welcomed as the new Director of the Performing Arts School in Berkeley Heights, NJ.
Andrew Nitkin, Director of Community Partnerships (Wharton Performing Arts School)
Andrew Nitkin, having been instrumental for many years in successfully leading the Performing Arts School at Wharton Arts in Berkeley Heights, NJ is now appointed in the role of Director of Community Partnerships for the Performing Arts School.
Roger Sweet, Manager of Orchestras (NJYS) (New Jersey Youth Symphony)
Roger Sweet has been with Wharton Arts as a Production Assistant of the Operations department. He is now appointed as the new Manager of Orchestras of the New Jersey Youth Symphony in New Providence, NJ.
Eva Dooley, Director of Finance & Administration (Wharton Arts)
Eva Dooley has been appointed as the new Director of Finance & Administration of Wharton Arts. Eva has long-time expertise in accounting and financial analysis with an emphasis on business analytics, strategic planning, project management, and overall bookkeeping. In each of these roles, she has gained skill sets that allow her to work in many different capacities including human resources. She is welcomed as a new member of the senior staff team.
Wharton Arts
Wharton Arts’ mission is to offer accessible, high quality, transformative performing arts education that sparks personal growth while building inclusive communities.
Wharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center serving nearly 2,000 students through a range of classes and ensembles. Through the New Jersey Youth Symphony, the Paterson Music Project, and the Performing Arts School, Wharton Arts offers both private and group classes for instruments and voice for all ages and all abilities. With the belief in the positive and unifying influence of music and that performing arts education should be accessible to all people regardless of their ability to pay, Wharton Arts offers need-based scholarships.
Wharton Arts is located in Berkeley Heights, New Providence, and Paterson, NJ and reaches students from 12 counties. All of Wharton Arts’ extraordinary teaching artists, faculty members, and conductors hold degrees in their teaching specialty and have been vetted and trained to enable our students to achieve their personal best. To learn more, visit whartonarts.org
(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)
Ganesha says your expenses will increase today, making it harder for you to save. Investments done during this time will eventually yield good returns, if not right away. Academic excellence and participation in extracurricular activities will be acknowledged for students. Although sluggish work progress and arguments over little matters may anger you and even affect your health, towards the end of the year, you will be happy and content with your accomplishments. Despite your irregular behaviour, your spouse continues to be cooperative.
October 18
Ganesha says financial gains today will come from a variety of sources, but the uncertainty surrounding your relationship is likely to leave one blemish on your record of success and accomplishments. Socializing, gatherings, and enjoyable outings will all be frequent and enjoyable. For those who are eligible, wedding bells will ring, and others will discover romance to keep them going. Don’t put more faith in others than necessary. Planning and managing your time will be crucial.
October 19
Ganesha says a promotion or an increase in responsibilities this time will give you cause to rejoice. Your profile will gain some sophistication with new initiatives. At home, there will be a healthier, more loving atmosphere that will promote prosperity and excellent health. Professionals that are interested in working overseas will be well received. Housewives will have to deal with frequent visits from family and friends. It is possible to go on a spiritual journey to a far-off location.
October 20
Ganesha says you shouldn’t give out too much of your time and money this year. Make the most of the chances that present themselves to raise your income and standard of living. You’ll have a lot of confidence and motivation, and you’ll probably get a lot of favours during this time. Participating in cultural events will be entertaining and educational. The new collaboration will be profitable, and the investment will pay off. Your standing in the social group will improve.
October 21
Ganesha says through the new contacts you make this year, you’ll have the chance to raise your level of living. Your professional advancement needs to be your main focus because it will produce the required results. The health of your parents will be a concern, but your spouse and kids will be supportive. If you go out and join clubs and social activities, you’ll be quite successful socially. Some of you have a far pilgrimage on the horizon.
October 22
Ganesha says people at work constantly offer you significant responsibility because they trust you. Unresolved issues will be resolved. You will receive awards and acknowledgment for entering this new stage of your life. The health of your parents will be a concern, but your spouse and kids will be supportive. Additionally, your financial situation will improve, and you’ll feel safer and content in all you do. marriage connections for a select few lovers. Religious practises and pilgrimages will provide tranquilly.
October 23
Ganesha says gains in your career are almost assured but rising costs will worry you. There will be instances when your accomplishments surpass your expectations, but for the most part, you will have to work really hard to get the bare minimum of outcomes. The relationship you share with your spouse will be friendly and even-handed, but you must restrain yourself from being overly stubborn because this could lead to uncomfortable situations at home.
GEETA GANDBHIR & SAM POLLARD’S Lowndes County And The Road To Black Power
NEHAL VYAS’S Dapaan
SOHIL VAIDYA’S Murmurs Of The Jungle
SHRUTIMAN DEORI’S My Courtyard (Ne Sotal)
KAVITA PILLAI’s Weckuwapok (The Approaching Dawn)
The Camden International Film Festival (CIFF) for its 18th edition presents feature and short films and documentaries. The festival takes place in person from September 15-18 at venues in Camden and Rockland, Maine, and online from September 15-25 for audiences across North America.
A program of the Points North Institute, CIFF remains widely recognized as a major platform championing the next generation of nonfiction storytellers and one of the hottest documentary and industry festivals on the festival and awards calendars. This year’s edition is the most international and formally adventurous to date and includes 34 features and 37 short films from over 41 countries. Over 60% of the entire program is directed or co-directed by BIPOC filmmakers and this is the 6th consecutive program the festival has reached gender parity within the program and across all competitions. Nearly half of the feature program will be US or North American premieres, including several new titles fresh from Venice, Locarno, and TIFF premieres, alongside award-winning films from Sundance, Rotterdam, Cannes, and Visions du Reel.
This year’s program celebrates the diversity of voices and forms in documentary and cinematic nonfiction,” says Ben Fowlie, Executive and Artistic Director of the Points North Institute, and Founder of the Camden International Film Festival. “These films help us make sense of an ever-changing world, and do everything we expect from great art – they ask provocative questions and interrogate the form. This year’s program emphasizes the international that represents the ‘I’ in CIFF, and reminds us time and again of the limitless creative potential and potency of the documentary form. Just as we have been for each of the past seventeen years, we are grateful to the filmmakers who have made these works of art and shared these stories.”
On the 75th anniversary of India’s independence from colonial rule, the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC), a premier cultural organization of the U.S.A. and the Consulate General of India in New York (CGI-NY), had organized a series of programs showcasing India’s cultural diversity, antiquity, and contemporary relevance.
The 10-day specially curated events at some of the iconic cultural venues in New York city began on August 5 with a photo exhibition by celebrated photographer Steve McCurry. This was followed by Dance programs at the Alvin Ailey studios on August 6, 7 & 8, Music programs on Aug 11 & 12 at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and varied Musical performances at Carnegie Hall Aug 13-15 in the run up to celebrating 75 years of India’s independence on August 15 this year. Participants in New York or online (for some events), were able to enjoy the events as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (‘Festival of Freedom’). To learn more, visit iaac.us. Seventy-five years ago, when India became an independent country after centuries of colonial rule, all eyes were on India because of the Gandhian message of Ahimsa, freedom through non-violence, and its ancient message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, treasuring the whole world as one family. Today, in our world of polarization, increasing tribalism, conflict and environmental degradation, the ancient Indian values of respect for diversity, peaceful coexistence, and respect for Nature are needed more urgently than ever.
In the U.S.A., many leaders, from John Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau, Walt Whitman to Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs to name a few, have been attracted to Indian ideals and culture. The festival aimed to bring the Indo-American bond closer, with cultural exchanges.
In a video address to members of the Indian-American diaspora at a concert headlined by Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan at Carnegie Hall, New York on Monday, August 15, Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs of India, V. Muraleedharan, said India walked hand in hand with the global community in this journey, contributing to international peace and well-being. “When we got freedom, there was tears and joy, but there was also a realization about an immense responsibility lying ahead. We settled down to build our democracy and preserve our unity,” he said. “To many outside, this appeared an insurmountable task, but with dedication and determination, purpose and perseverance, our people nurtured and illuminated our democratic polity,” Muraleedharan said. He said this developed deep roots in India’s social fabric, embracing its diversity, pluralism, and age-old ethos. “Indeed, India’s success has made the world a better place for all freedom-loving people. And for that reason, we are joined by millions across the world to share our joy today,” he said.
He underlined that on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, and ever inspired by the motto of ‘Satyameva Jayate’ (truth alone triumphs), “we have built a modern nation – one that prides in its ancient moorings even as it marches on the knowledge and digital pathways of the 21st century.” On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, the Consulate General of India in New York along with the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) organized the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav – Festival of Freedom’.
Muraleedharan said the occasion of the anniversary of India’s independence is a “sacred day” to pay tribute to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi and salute the freedom fighters. He added that as India’s founding fathers soiled and struggled, many nations came forward in support of India’s cause and he expressed gratitude to India’s international partners who joined hands with the country. “Our freedom movement had a special resonance in the United States. We remain grateful to all the women and men of America who stood with us, and these bonds have endured. Our shared democratic fabric continues to bind us together in a warm embrace,” Muraleedharan said.
Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, in his remarks, said that India’s journey of the last 75 years has been “one of pride, fulfillment, honor and unity.” “We have deepened democracy, nurtured inclusive growth and celebrated our diversity and cultural ethos,” he said. He said at the core of India’s freedom is “our people.” “They have shaped our imagination, our democracy and our civilization. And so, we are here to celebrate their resolve, their determination, their courage and their resilience. From scratch, they built a nation of billion dreams and billion achievements,” he said. “We also owe our success to international partners and supporters. And in this rubric, India-US special ties and friendship have left an indelible mark – from ideas and thought, to institutions and partnerships; from Mahatma Gandhi to Martin Luther King, from Tom Paine to Swami Vivekanand; and from Artificial Intelligence to IIT Kanpur,” he said. He said on the path of unity and togetherness, India has lived freedom and practiced democracy. “That is our message to ourselves and to the world – as we look into the future,” he said.
IAAC Chairman Dr. Nirmal Mattoo said the organization is proud and honored to mark the occasion of 75 years of Indian Independence with the remarkable series of events celebrating Indian art and culture. “Curated with care, this line-up boosts an ambitious goal: to truly immerse audiences into a vibrant and diverse culture with limitless potential to inspire all citizens of the world,” he said in a statement issued by the IAAC.
FESTIVAL OF INDIAN MUSIC CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF INDIAN INDEPENDENCE AZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV
PROGRAM
The Music Festival was celebrated August 13-15, 2022
“As we use flowers in worship, welcoming, honoring, departure, and celebration no matter what our race, origin, religion or language, we similarly arrange musical notes into ‘bouquets’ or compositions that display all our human feelings and emotions,” said the legendary Maestro Amjad Ali Khan.
Sakhi consists of all the elements of a musical performance, i.e., vocal, instrumental music from North India (Hindustani) and South India (Carnatic) and dance.
The day’s performance included:
Khayal bandish (lyrics from a female perspective)
Thumri, Dadra, Chaita, Hori, Kajri
Tarana Thillana
Some instrumental presentation where we can use sargams and no lyrics
Bhajan and Folk
Naman – Saraswati
Tarana – The dance of rhythm and melody
Anandini – Mother Goddess
Bageeshwari – The Devi of Knowledge
Samanjasya – Balance
Kanjari – The Divas of the yesteryears
Chaturang – Many shades of Beauty
Lokranjini – The soil, the mother
Rudrani – The fury of the Goddess
To learn about each artist, visit iaac.us
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Carnegie Hall, August 14, 2022
SAATH SAATH (Photo : IAAC.US)
SAATH SAATH
Rakesh Chaurasia, Flute
Purbayan Chatterjee, Sitar
Taufiq Qureshi, Djembe
Ojas Adhiya, Tabla
Rakesh Chaurasia – Alaap
Taufiq Qureshi – Breathe Percussion
Purbayan Chatterjee – Jod
All together – Saath Saath
Composition with all four artists
Percussion Duet
Folk tune & Semi Classical piece
To learn about each artist, visit iaac.us
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CONCERT FOR INDIA’S INDEPENDENCE
Carnegie Hall, August 15, 2022
AMJAD ALI KHAN, Sarod
AMAAN ALI BANGASH, Sarod
AYAAN ALI BANGASH, Sarod
LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA, Conductor
REFUGEE ORCHESTRA PROJECT
The grand finale of the ‘Festival of India@75’ on August 15 featured the Sarod Grand Master and Sarod virtuosos Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash and Tabla players Amit Kavthekar and Ojas Adhiya for ‘Samaagam’, an ensemble that presented the essence of both Indian and Western traditions seamlessly flowing into each other without artistic compromise. “Since my childhood, I always wanted my instrument, the sarod, to be able to express the entire range of human emotions….to Sing, Shout, Whisper and cry. All the emotions! It has been a long journey so far and by the benevolence of the heavens, the sarod has become far more expressive than before,” said maestro Amjad Ali Khan. In Samaagam, 12 different ragas were presented, creating a unique opportunity to experience joyous music and shared traditions.
The spectacular concert, featuring renowned Conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya and the Refugee Orchestra, was held at the Carnegie Hall and presented “a synthesis of musical traditions motivated by Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of truth, non-violence and peace.” Sarod maestro Khan said it was indeed a “great honor” to perform for India’s 75th Year of Independence at Carnegie Hall and congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “celebrating our historic Independence Day celebration as Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.” “Musicians and listeners of music have been communicating with each other across all barriers through the language of musical notes from time immemorial. As we use flowers in worship, welcoming, honouring, departure, and celebration no matter what our race, origin, religion or language, we similarly arrange musical notes into ‘bouquets’ or compositions that display all our human feelings and emotions,” the legendary artist said.
SAROD TRIO PROGRAM
Segment 1
AMAAN ALI BANGASH, Sarod
AYAAN AI BANGASH, Sarod
Segment 2
AMJAD ALI KHAN, Sarod
Samaagam – Concerto for 3 Sarods
SAMAAGAM (Photo : Alex Lyon)
AMJAD ALI KHAN, AMAAN ALI BANGASH, and
AYAAN ALI BANGASH, Sarod
REFUGEE ORCHESTRA PROJECT
LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA, Conductor
On the momentous occasion of India’s 75th year of Independence, the night’s concert was a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and to his message of non-violence. Gandhi insisted that “Each of us must be the change we wish to see in this world.” Resonating with that ethos, the artists tonight musically seek to convey that we should all work together to recreate and be soulfully motivated by his enthralling symphony of Truth, Love, Non-Violence, and Peace.
A wonderful and strange mystery of Indian classical music is the fact that one can spend a lifetime trying to obtain knowledge and perfection and still feel that one has only touched a mere drop of an ocean. The learning never stops along the Journey of searching and discovering. Indian Classical music has indeed had a very spiritual and scientific development and growth. This was a phenomenon that existed from Vedic times. The tradition of classical music dates back to the Sam Veda period. The earliest version of classical music was the Vedic chants. Interestingly, the effect of all the twelve notes on our body, mind and soul are very scientific. Various permutations and combinations give the scales a shape of a raga. However, a raga is much more and beyond. It’s not just a mere scale. A raga has to be invoked, understood, and cared for like a living entity.
The first half of the night’s concert was divided in two segments, The concert started with a duet by Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash (older-younger sons of Amjad Ali Khan), both well-known sarod virtuosos. They presented a traditional raga of Indian Classical music set to various rhythmic time cycles. This was followed by a solo solo by Sarod Grand Master Amjad Ali Khan. Amit Kavthekar and Ojas Adhiya, two brilliant tabla (Indian two-piece drums) players, provided accompaniment for this segment.
An interesting aspect of Indian Classical music is that here you have five people on stage who don’t know what the other is going to do, and yet have to perform like a rehearsed orchestra! Therefore, the role as performers is really that of three people, i.e., the performer, the composer and the conductor. Three in one! Along with the Sarods and the Tablas, there was a drone box tuned to the true tonic.
After intermission, Samaagam – Concerto for 3 Sarods, conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya, was played by the Refugee Orchestra Project. Samaagam comes from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘confluence or flowing together.’ Amjad Ali Khan aimed to preserve the essence of both Indian and Western traditions so that they can flow into each other without artistic compromise. He uses the orchestration of Indian ensemble music in the pre-Bollywood era as inspiration and has also looked back to the ancient (i.e., pre-equal-temperament) Western tradition incorporating elements which, because of their antiquity, do not violate the rules of Indian music. The aim is through this process to joyfully explore the common musical “DNA”of both traditions. In Samaagam, twelve different ragas were presented. Some will make only a fleeting appearance; others will be explored for longer. To learn about each artist, visit iaac.us
(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)
“The biggest stand-up comedy act in India. Period”.-Tanmay Bhat, AiB co-founder.
Zakir Khan (Photo: Courtesy NJPAC)
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) welcomes comedian Zakir Khan’s brand-new stand-up comedy national tour: Live In US, on Saturday, September 3, 2022, at 7 pm. This show will be performed in Hindi.
After two-hour length standup massively successful specials, Haq Se Single (2017) and Kaksha Gyarvi (2021) on Amazon Prime Video; and after selling out 100,000+ tickets across the globe, Zakir Khan is on the road once again with his latest stand up show. Khan has the ability to highlight comic elements in everyday life and is known for his “uniquely Indian” style of comedy, which involves him impeccably catching on to the emotions that are common to every Indian household. Zakir Khan is one of the brightest Indian comedians and actors in India. In 2012, he rose to popularity by winning Comedy Central’s India’s Best Stand Up Comedian competition. He has also been a part of a news comedy show, ‘On Air with AiB’ (All India Bakchod[) – a parody of ‘All India Radio.’
A writer by profession, he has been described by AIB’S co-founder, Tanmay Bhat, as “The biggest stand-up comedy act in India. Period.” This ‘Confused Desi’ serves his take on modern India, with a hard-to-resist style of humor that’ll have you nodding your heads and clapping as you relate to everything he says. His work includes comedy specials like Kaksha Gyarvi; an acclaimed Amazon Prime series, Chacha Vidhayak Hai Hamare and a podcast, ‘Umeed.’ Zakir is indeed a unique act, and it’s easy to see why.
Zakir Khan has a diploma in Sitar. He has stated that had he not been a standup comedian, he would instead be working as a music teacher. He became a known face in India’s stand-up comedy circuit in 2012 when he won the title of ‘India’s Best Stand Up’, a comedy competition organized by Comedy Central. Besides performing at many stand-up comedy shows, he has also ghostwritten and produced radio shows. His comedy style was applauded in NDTV (New Delhi Television Limited) Prime’s ‘The Rising Stars of Comedy’ television show. He is an emerging Urdu Poet and comes from a family of artists. He has presented his poetry in events like ‘Rekhta.’ On his train journey to Delhi, he wrote his first poem, “Mai Soonya Pe Sawar Hoon”. He also wrote “Apne Aap Ke Bhi Piche Khara Hoon Main”,”Bus Ka Intezar Karte Huye”. Apart from comedy, Zakir has also generated podcast series Ummeed on Gaana, where he shares the inspiration he got from incidents in his life, along with his other comedian friends.
Catch the ‘sakth launda’ (one who doesn’t easily fall for girls) himself,
Zakir Khan Live!
TICKETS
For Tickets, visit NJPAC.org or the Box Office or call 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722).
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THE PIANO GUYS
By Mabel Pais
The Piano Guys (Photo : CourtesyNJPAC)
‘THE PIANO GUYS’ take their show to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), on Wednesday, September 14th at 7:30 p.m.
From YouTube stardom to the top of the Billboard charts, The Piano Guys have taken the world by storm with classical mash-ups of your favorite rock and pop songs. Their Oscar-worthy music videos bring piano and cello out of the concert hall and into the most unexpected places: on a speeding train, a cliff’s edge, a beach, or in front of the Seven Wonders of the World. (It’s no “wonder” their gorgeous videos are streamed over 3 million times every day.)
The Piano Guys are Jon Schmidt (pianist, songwriter), Steven Sharp Nelson (cellist, songwriter), Paul Anderson (producer, videographer) and Al van der Beek (music producer, songwriter). Their mission is to uplift and inspire each and every listener.
HOW DID THEY START THE PIANO GUYS
What do you get when you mix up a marketing genius that does video, a studio engineer that writes music, a pianist that had a successful solo career, and a cellist that does pretty much everything? The Piano Guys: a miraculous meeting of “guys” with the same intrinsic purpose – to make a positive impact in the lives of people all over the world through music videos.
It all started in a piano store in a little Southern Utah town called Saint George. Paul Anderson, the store’s owner, was looking for a new, unconventional way to market pianos. The name of the piano store? The Piano Guys.
Paul embarked on a self-guided study of social marketing and started a YouTube channel and a Facebook page. He was an ambitious, talented risk taker and felt inspired that if he could find the right people to work with he could create the number one music video channel in the world.
In walked Jon Schmidt to the store. Jon requested Paul if he could let him practice on one of the store’s piano for his upcoming gig. Paul explained his idea to Jon and asked if he would be willing to be in a video promoting both the store and Jon’s music. It was a win-win. Jon had a gift for combining multiple genres of music in such an entertaining way that he had captivated and captured a broad, substantial fan base.
Enter Steven Sharp Nelson. When Steve was 15 years old, he met Jon when they had shared the stage at a concert in which they were both performing. Steve, a multi-instrumentalist, joined Jon at more and more of his concerts and their stage chemistry had audiences in stitches and in tears in two songs or less.
Then came Al van der Beek. After moving close to Steve’s home, Al invited his new neighbor Steve to his home with a decked-out studio. They began writing tunes together and discovered a supernatural songwriting partnership. Al’s studio and his engineering skills were to become the most important music-writing tool for ‘The Piano Guys.’
The Piano Guys say, “our mission will always be to produce music videos that inspire, uplift, and make the world a better place. If we can make a positive impact in even one person’s life it has all been worth it to us.”
TICKETS
Tickets for ‘The Piano Guys’ are available at njpac.org/event/the-piano-guys or at the NJPAC Box Office or by calling 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722).
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
Follow NJPAC Online:
Website: njpac.org
Twitter: @NJPAC
Instagram: @NJPAC
Hashtag: #NJPAC
Facebook: facebook.com/NJPAC
YouTube: NJPACtv
Follow NJPAC’s Standing in Solidarity Series Online:
Website: njpac.org/takeastand
Hashtag: #NJPACTakeAStand Youtube: Standing in Solidarity playlist
(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)
‘ASIAN AMERICANS,’ to celebrate ASIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, was aired as a five-part documentary television series. This was a collaborative production of PBS, WETA and the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), via the Independent Television Service (ITVS).
The series chronicles the contributions, the history and the challenges of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing ethnic group in America. Spearheaded by an array of award-winning Asian American filmmakers, including Academy Award®-nominated series producer Renee Tajima-Peña (‘Who Killed Vincent Chin?’), ‘ASIAN AMERICANS’ examines how Asian Americans played a role in defining both U.S. history and American identity. From the first wave of Asian immigrants in the 1850s, to identity politics during the social and cultural turmoil of the twentieth century, and the modern refugee crisis, this series champions the unheard voices of Asian Americans.
This history has long been omitted from the textbooks. Through this groundbreaking series, viewers may discover the compelling untold stories and contributions that Asian Americans have had in shaping America.
‘ASIAN AMERICANS’ delivers a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today more than ever, at a time when themes of immigration, race and xenophobia, inform all facets of the national conversation. As the United States rapidly becomes more diverse, but also more divided, how do we move forward together?
Asian immigrants first arrived in large numbers during the mid-1800s. They were mostly young laborers and full of dreams, but they were met with hostility and hysteria. Branded the “Yellow Peril” and the “Dusky Peril,” they were blamed for disease, vice and unfair labor competition. Long considered perpetually foreign and unassimilable, Asians faced exclusionary laws and were barred from becoming citizens. They were America’s first “undocumented immigrants.” The series takes audiences through the momentous years since then, and the lives of people who helped to shape this history. ‘ASIAN AMERICANS’ is about their resilience during extraordinary times, through anti-Asian exclusion, a Great Depression, multiple wars fought in Asia, mass incarceration, and the journeys of countless refugees. At each of these tipping points, core ideals of equality and justice were constantly tested. Yet Asian Americans built railroads and cyber-highways. They created families and communities, and stood up for their ideals in the courts, at the ballot box, in the fields, on the streets and in the culture.
‘ASIAN AMERICANS’ illuminates two visions of the American Dream for the nation’s fastest growing population: One of opportunity and a better life, but also the pursuit of democracy and equality. It is the story of how a people, long denied citizenship, have come to define what it means to be an American. To watch the series, visit pbs.org/weta/asian-americans
ASIAN AMERICAN FILMS TODAY
Violent acts against the Asian American public continues to plague the community, thus exposing continued systemic racism. The following two films, one released in 2022, the other restored, remind us that very little progress has been made against Asian American bias.
FREE CHOL SOO LEE
‘Free Chol Soo Lee.’ (Photo : Courtesy Unity Archive Project)
“An enthralling documentary… a powerful indictment of systemic racism and the criminal justice system. – Josh Flanders and Sheri Flanders – Chicago Reader
Dirs: Julie Ha & Eugene Yi l USA l 2022 l Eng, Korean l 1h 26m
Premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Free Chol Soo Lee tells the landmark story of Chol Soo, who was wrongly convicted of murder, and the unprecedented pan-Asian American movement that freed him.
In 1970s San Francisco, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is racially profiled and convicted of a Chinatown gang murder. Sentenced to life, he spends years fighting to survive until investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting an unprecedented social justice movement that would unite Asian Americans and inspire a new generation of activists.
Nearly five decades later, Free Chol Soo Lee excavates this largely unknown yet essential history, crafting an intimate portrait of the complex man at its center and serving as an urgent reminder that his legacy is more relevant than ever. Born on August 15th, 1952, this year commemorates what would have been the late Chol Soo Lee’s 70th birthday. Opening – August 12, IFC Center, New York, followed by ONE-NIGHT ONLY NATIONWIDE on August 17. For more information and more openings, visit mubi.com/freecholsoolee
WHO KILLED VINCENT CHIN
‘Who Killed Vincent Chin.’ (Photo: pbs.org/pov)
ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINATED 1987 DOCUMENTARY RE-RELEASED
The 1982 Hate Crime Galvanized a New Generation of Asian Americans to Fight for Justice
The film was recently restored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and also selected for the National Film Registry.
Dirs: Christine Choy & Renee Tajima-Peña l USA l 1987 l 27m
In this current moment of anti-Asian hate in America, the timing of this film is once again significant and important. The organizing of the Asian American communities that rallied against this horrible crime when the murderers were acquitted was incredible, as these dedicated people literally transformed themselves from a grassroots advocacy group into a national movement. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the racially motivated murder/hate crime of Vincent Chin – a Chinese American – murdered by two white men, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, in Detroit, Michigan on June 19, 1982. The documentary, which originally aired on POV in March 1987, details the incident from initial eye-witness accounts, the ensuing murder trials to the lenient sentences the assailants received, and the repercussions for the families and community involved.
In addition to the film broadcast in March 2022, there were a number of events and activities organized in the week leading to June 20, 2022. “I was vaguely aware of the killing of Vincent Chin in 1982. The next year, when I had the opportunity to meet Lily Chin, Vincent’s mother in Detroit, Michigan, I knew this was a story that would make an impact. The project started as a short film to help the American Citizens for Justice (ACJ) raise the legal fee but with the support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the film was expanded. It was a privilege to have taken part in the telling of this story nearly forty years ago and still see its relevance and importance today.” said ‘Who Killed Vincent Chin?’ filmmaker Christine Choy.
Who Killed Vincent Chin? represents a critical turning point for Asian Americans with chilling relevance today. Anti-Asian sentiments that were further stoked by the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to ongoing xenophobia, particularly against Chinese Americans, though they have affected the broader AAPI community. From March 19, 2020, to December 31, 2021, over ten thousand hate crime incidents were reported to Stop AAPI Hate, a nonprofit coalition tracking incidents of hate and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Breaking news headlines about the 2021 Atlanta and Indianapolis shootings, and the recent murders in New York City of Christina Yuna Lee and Michelle Go as well, show that these hate crimes are disproportionately targeted at the elderly and Asian American women. The encore presentation of the film was done by pbs.org/pov. Watch the film: pbs.org/video/the-black-rodeo-new-detroit-riverfront-park-kris-johnson-govgpk
(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)
“Erasing Borders” dance performances are part of the Indo-American Arts Council’s (iaac.us) ongoing celebrations of the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence, August 15. The celebration will feature two live performances, August 6 & 7 at the Ailey Citigroup Theatre, and a virtual August 8th streaming with artists from India, Canada, Singapore and the U.S.
PROGRAM
Program A: live, Saturday August 6, 7 pm
Program B: live, Sunday August 7, 7 pm
Venue: Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 West 55 Street, NYC
Program C: virtual, Monday August 8
India@75
Program A: Saturday August 6, 7 pm
Featuring
Sanjib Bhattacharya and Lagannath Lairenjam in
Manipuri-Pung Cholom (Drum Dance)
Kavya Ganesh in contemporary Bharatanatyam
Bhavana Reddy in Kuchipudi with introductions by the legendary Raja Reddy.
India@75
Program B: Sunday August 7, 7 pm
Featuring
Jin Won in Kathak with live music
Ailey II in “Saa Magni”
Mythili Prakash in contemporary Bharatanatyam
Erasing Borders Dance Festival-virtual
Program C: Monday August 8, premiers at 7 pm.
Streaming is available until August 22
featuring choreography by
Tanya Saxena
Tanveer Alam
Liz Lea and danced by Subastian Tan and Shahrin Johry
Mythili Maratt Anoop
Deepali Salil with Nilava Sen, Shubhamani Chandrashekar, Athul Balu
India@75
Saturday Aug 6, 2022, 7-9PM
Sapta, Manipuri-Pung Cholom (drum dance)
Performed by Sanjib Bhattacharya and Jagannath Lairenjam
Sapta, meaning seven, is an attempt to paint the canvas of time, using 3 sets of 7 beats.
12 minutes of time is celebrated through three ornate sets of 7 matras (beats), each set depicting a significant tradition of Manipuri Classical Dance.
‘Time the Elusive Friend,’ contemporary Bharatanatyam
Choreographed and performed by Kavya Ganesh
Music courtesy- Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan
Music composition- GS Rajan
Mentored by Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan
External time is a linear dimension-ticking along in a constant, singular rhythm. What about the internality of time? In this work, time has been conceptualized as sakhi (friend).
‘Solo Kuchipudi’ by Bhavana Reddy with introductions by Raja Reddy
Narasimhavataram
This is a story of one of Vishnu’s avatars that of Narasimha. Hiranyakashyapu, a demon king worshipper of Shiva, sought a boon from Brahma, to be unvanquishable by any weapon, by any man or animal, inside or outside, by day or by night.
Nijagadha sa yadu Nandane (Jayadeva’s ashtapadi)
‘Jathiswaram’ is a tapestry of rhythm and melody which are given visual form with dance on the brass plate.
India@75
Sunday Aug 7, 2022
Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre, 7-9PM
‘Andaaz’ – an immersive exploration of Rhythm and dance, by Jin Won, kathak, with tabla by Mike Lukshis and Electric Viola by Martha Mooke.
A sonic and visual endeavor alternating between two different Rhythm cycles, 5 and half beats / 16 beats, “Andaaz” explores the subtle movements through contemporary and traditional dance forms of Kathak to portray a beautiful visual canvas.
Alvin Ailey II, Saa Magni Alvin Ailey II will be joining Indian dancers to celebrate the 75 years of Indian independence. They will be performing Saa Magni in the spirit of hope, celebration and dance.
Saa Magni is choreographed by Yannick Lebrun and performed by Meagan King and Christopher Taylor to music by Oumou Sangaré from the album Ko Sira, published by World Circuit Records.
‘Poo | Poo’ (Contemporary bharatanatyam) Performed and choreographed by Mythili Prakash
Polarity. Co-existence. Singularity.
Lingering between past and present, global and local, sacred and worldly, stylized and pedestrian, structure and fluidity, Poo | Poo (flower in Tamil |shit in America) negotiates the weight of past and tradition through the freedom of our bodies and voices today in the re-imagining of a traditional myth–the dance-off between Shiva and Kali.
India@75
Erasing Borders Dance Festival
Monday August 8, 2022, premiers at 7 pm.
Streaming is available until August 22 on Indo American Arts Council Facebook https://www.facebook.com/iaac.us and Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/IAACEvent
Introduction by Subhalakshmi Amjad Ali Khan
Bindu
Choreographed and performed by Tanya Saxena (bharatanatyam)
Sound Design and Mixing: Ananda Gupta
Music: Rajat Prasanna
‘Bindu’ (the originary dot) is a movement film inspired by artist S.H. Raza, made in collaboration with the Raza Foundation.
Leher (Wave) choreographed and performed by Tanveer Alam (kathak)
‘Leher’ emerged as a quiet response to this time and context of massive change that we have all experienced since the pandemic. The work, in vilambit taal (slow tempo) is patient, intimate, and looks at the effects of decelerating in time.
Music: Gurumurthy Vaidya
Dramaturgy: Harikishan S. Nair
Mixing and mastering: Roshin Shabu
Videography and editing: Aman Chandak
Supported by: Sadhana Project Residency (Anandam Dancetheatre), The Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council.
‘Terra’
Choreographed by Liz Lea
Danced by Subastian Tan and Shahrin Johry.
Music by TaikOz
A contemporary dance with influences from movement techniques of Singapore and India.
‘Bird of Time’
Inspired by Sarojini Naidu’s poem, ‘The Bird of Time’ this work presents an assortment of life’s dramatic moments which ultimately ends in silence.
‘Animals’ (excerpted from Looking Within Looking Around) The excerpt “ANIMALS” is choreographed and performed by bharatanatyam dancers from all over India. It is conceptualized by Deepali Salil. Choreographed and performed by Bharatanatyam dancers Nilava Sen as Gazelle; Shubhamani Chandrashekar as Orca; Athul Balu as Hyena; Deepali Salil as Sarus Crane.
Original music composition – Sanchit Choudhary
In our excerpt film “Animals” we seek to renew the connection with our animal kingdom. The only way forward is together. Conserving and living sustainably needs to become a lifestyle.
To learn more about each performer/artist, visit iaac.us/erasing-borders-dance-festival-2022
TICKETS
For Tickets, visit eventbrite.com/cc/festival-of-india75-605699
For reservations, contact Audrey Ross at audreyrosspub@aol.com or 929 222 3973.
(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)
Hong Kong (TIP): The oldest-ever male giant panda in captivity has died at age 35 at a Hong Kong theme park after his health deteriorated. ‘An An’ lived most of his life at Ocean Park after he and a female panda were gifted to Hong Kong by China in 1999. The female panda, ‘JiaJia’, died in 2016 at age 38, making her the oldest-ever female panda in captivity. Ocean Park mourned AnAn as a family member who grew with the park and built bonds with locals and tourists. “An An has brought us fond memories with numerous heart-warming moments. His cleverness and playfulness will be dearly missed,” Paulo Pong, chairman of Ocean Park Corporation, said in a statement.
An An had high blood pressure, a common condition among geriatric pandas. Over the past three weeks, AnAn had been kept out of sight from visitors at the park as his health worsened. He stopped eating solid food and was significantly less active in recent days.
Last week, hundreds left comments on an Ocean Park post about AnAn’s condition, wishing him a speedy recovery.
He was euthanized to prevent further suffering Thursday morning after veterinarians from Ocean Park and government authorities consulted the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Ocean Park said.
“An An lived a full life that ended at the respectable age of 35 – the equivalent of 105 years in human age,” the statement read. Hong Kong was given another panda pair — Ying Ying, a female, and a male, Le Le — in 2007 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the city’s return to China. China commonly engages in “panda diplomacy” where the mammals exclusively found in China are leased to other countries as a sign of goodwill. (AP)
“Heart Valley” Written & Produced by Kiran Sidhu wins Best Documentary Short
By Mabel Pais
“Stories About Helpful People” Co-Directed by Sindha Agha wins Best Episodic
The 2022 Annual Tribeca Film Festival Jury Award winners & the Audience Award winners of the 21st Annual Tribeca Festival have been announced. Many notable films that have won Tribeca Festival Jury Awards have gone on to win the Academy Awards including Jesus Camp, Taxi to the Dark Side and of course The Queen of Basketball which won an Oscar just this year at the Academy Awards.
Many of the award-winning titles are available on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/festival/at-home) until July 3. Buy your pass to stream these and other notable Tribeca Festival films and talks you may have missed.
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT, DRAMA: “HEART VALLEY,” World Premiere
Heart Valley Photo: tribecafilm.com
WRITER: KIRAN SIDHU l PRODUCERS: CHRISTIAN CARGILL, LILY WAKELEY, KIRAN SIDHU l DIRECTOR: CHRISTIAN CARGILL l
UK, WALES | ENGLISH | ENGLISH SUBTITLES l 19M
“Heart Valley” follows a day in the life of solitary Wilf Davies, a shepherd from the small village of Cellan in Wales. Kind and inquisitive, the film looks at the world through Wilf’s eyes, asking questions about what it is we should truly value.
BEST EPISODIC: “STORIES ABOUT HELPFUL PEOPLE”
BRAND: ZENDESK CREATIVE STUDIO: EVEN/ODD
DIRECTORS: SINDHA AGHA, ERIN BRETHAUER, TIM HUSSIN
As a customer support company, everything Zendesk does — from how they build their customer experience software to the way they work with customers, is all about being helpful. It’s the spirit they believe in. “Stories About Helpful People” is a series of mini-documentaries and photo stories. It’s a series intended to inspire the Zendesk community to rally around the spirit of helpfulness. In “GOLDEN AGE KARATE,” a high school student helps a group of senior citizens get through a vulnerable time, by teaching them karate. In “ERIC AND THE BEES,” a U.S. military veteran discovers that beekeeping helps him cope with PTSD -and teaches other vets the healing powers of the hive.
JURY AWARD WINNERS
For a list of some of the great content featured during Tribeca 2022 that went on to win a Jury Award, view the full list at tribecafilm.com/news/tribeca-festival-announces-2022-jury-awards. Below is the list of award-winners.
U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION
The Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature: Sarah Elizabeth Mintz, “Good Girl Jane”
Catch It on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/films/good-girl-jane-2022)
Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature: written by Ben Snyder & Elizabeth Rodriguez, “Allswell”
Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Azuli Anderson, “Next Exit”
Best Performance in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Rain Spencer in “Good Girl Jane”
Catch It on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/films/good-girl-jane-2022)
Special Jury Mention for Best Performance in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Liz Carbel Sierra in “God’s Time”
Catch It on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/films/god-s-time-2022)
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Best International Narrative Feature: “January”
January Photo : tribecafilm.com
Catch It on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/films/january-2022)
Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature: Martín Boulocq and Rodrigo Hasbún, “The Visitor”
Catch It on Tribeca At Home (https://tribecafilm.com/films/visitor-2022)
Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature: Jan Mayntz, “We Might As Well Be Dead”
Catch It on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/films/we-might-as-well-be-dead-2022)
Best Performance in an International Narrative Feature: Dorota Pomykala for “Woman on a Roof”
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Cave of Adullam Photo : tribecafilm.com
Best Documentary Feature: “The Cave of Adullam”
Best Cinematography in a Documentary Feature: “The Wild One”
Catch It on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/films/wild-one-2022)
Best Editing in a Documentary Feature: “The Cave of Adullam”
BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR COMPETITION
Best New Narrative Director: Michelle Garza Cervera for “Huesera”
BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR COMPETITION
The Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director: Edward Buckles Jr. for “Katrina Babies”
Catch it on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/films/katrina-babies-2022)
NORA EPHRON COMPETITION
Nora Ephron Award: Michelle Garza Cervera for “Huesera”
SHORTS COMPETITION
All Tribeca shorts are available through Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/festival/at-home)
Best Narrative Short: “Night Ride”
Best Documentary Short: “Heart Valley”
Best Animated Short: “More Than I Remember”
Student Visionary: “Daydreamers”
TRIBECA AUDIO STORYTELLING COMPETITION
Best Audio Storytelling in Nonfiction: “Mother Country Radicals”
Best Audio Storytelling in Fiction: “The Hollowed Out”
TRIBECA IMMERSIVE COMPETITION
Storyscapes Award: “Kubo Walks The City”
New Voices Award: “LGBTQ” + “VR Museum”
TRIBECA GAMES COMPETITION
Tribeca Games Award: “Thirsty Suitors”
HUMAN / NATURE COMPETITION
HUMAN / NATURE Award: “Katrina Babies”
Catch It on Tribeca At Home (tribecafilm.com/films/katrina-babies-2022)
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
Audience Award winners for the 21st-anniversary edition of the Tribeca Festival also include online premieres that were a part of Tribeca At Home, Tribeca’s virtual festival.
The Tribeca Film Festival announces the Audience Award winners for the 21st annual edition, with Ellie Foumbi’s feature directorial debut, “Our Father, The Devil” which was part of the Indeed Juneteenth programming. The Tribeca Festival Audience Awards follow the previously announced 2022 Jury Awards.
Best Narrative Feature winner “Our Father, The Devil” (tribecafilm.com/films/our-father-the-devil-2022) directed by Ellie Foumbi tells an unnerving tale about a medical worker’s tumultuous past coming back to haunt her.
Second place was awarded to “Wes Schlagenhauf Is Dying” now available on Tribeca at Home (tribecafilm.com/films/wes-schlagenhauf-is-dying-2022).
“The Cave of Adullam” (tribecafilm.com/films/cave-of-adullam-2022) directed by Laura Checkoway is a heartwarming story about a martial arts instructor mentoring young Black boys while offering guidance and tough love.
Second place in the category was awarded to “Lift” now available on Tribeca at Home (tribecafilm.com/films/lift-2022).
The Best Online Premiere winner“Cherry,” directed by Sophie Galibert follows the story of an uncommitted 25-year-old in Los Angeles who discovers she has only 24 hours to make one of the most consequential decisions of her life. Now available on Tribeca at Home (tribecafilm.com/films/cherry-2022)
Second place went to “In Her Name” now available on Tribeca at Home (tribecafilm.com/films/in-her-name-2022)
(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Cuisine, Health & Wellness and Spirituality)
Ottawa (TIP): Foods high in sugars, sodium and saturated fat will come with clear warning labels in Canada starting in 2026, the federal government said on June 30, in an effort to promote healthier eating choices and reduce chronic health risks.
“We know that it’s not always easy to make healthy choices,” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters. “We need a quick and easy way of knowing exactly what options are the healthiest.” Under the new rules, a magnifying glass label will be required on all packaged foods with high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat, along with text to make clear what “nutrients of concern” a food contains, Health Canada said. Manufacturers will have more than three years to prepare for the changes, with the rules set to go into force on January 1, 2026, the agency added. The policy will not apply to certain foods, such as plain milk and whole eggs, due to their health value. It will also exclude raw fish and meat, whether whole cut or ground. Those exemption will come as a relief to Canada’s meat industry, which lobbied against an earlier proposal that would have seen ground beef slapped with a warning label.
High cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Medications can help improve your cholesterol. But if you’d rather first make lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol, try these five healthy changes. If you already take medications, these changes can improve their cholesterol-lowering effect.
Eat heart-healthy foods
A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health:
Reduce saturated fats. Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats can reduce your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol. Eliminate trans fats. Trans fats, sometimes listed on food labels as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” are often used in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes. Trans fats raise overall cholesterol levels. The Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils by Jan. 1, 2021. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids don’t affect LDL cholesterol. But they have other heart-healthy benefits, including reducing blood pressure. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts and flaxseeds.
Increase soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
Quit smoking
Quitting smoking improves your HDL cholesterol level. The benefits occur quickly:
Within 20 minutes of quitting, your blood pressure and heart rate recover from the cigarette-induced spike
Within three months of quitting, your blood circulation and lung function begin to improve
Within a year of quitting, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker
Lose weight
Carrying even a few extra pounds contributes to high cholesterol. Small changes add up. If you drink sugary beverages, switch to tap water. Snack on air-popped popcorn or pretzels — but keep track of the calories. If you crave something sweet, try sherbet or candies with little or no fat, such as jelly beans.
The thyroid gland, located in the front of the neck, is the main source of thyroid hormones in the body and hypothalamic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulates thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) synthesis from pituitary gland of our body. TSH stimulates thyroid hormone (T3,T4) synthesis with the help of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) enzyme from thyroglobulin protein and iodine within the gland.
Very minute amount of total thyroid hormones is not bound to any proteins in the circulation and known as free thyroid hormones, which are responsible for the biological activities within the body. For the uninitiated, thyroid hormones maintains key functions such as metabolism rate in body, heart functions, digestive functions, muscle health, brain development, bone health etc.
Disorders due to imbalance in thyroid hormones
Dr Soumi Ghosh, Consultant Biochemist at Neuberg Anand Reference Laboratory, highlighted two types of thyroid disorders and their symptoms as:
Hypothyroidism
It is associated with decreased free and total thyroid hormones and increased or decreased TSH according to the causative factors. Subclinical hypothyroidism is a condition where persistent elevation in TSH (6 to 12 weeks or longer) is seen but FT4concentrations is found within the normal range.
Among the varieties of hypothyroidism, congenital hypothyroidism (presence since birth) is the most important, as it requires an early diagnosis and treatment to prevent brain damage. Maternal hypothyroidism is a risk factor for developing this disease. Other causes of hypothyroidism are antibodies developed in a person against his or her own thyroid gland, bacterial or viral inflammation in the thyroid glands leading to its damage, radiation or surgery in the thyroid glands. Apart from that certain foods (for example cabbage, cauliflower, soy products, peaches, peanuts) and certain drugs can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis and cause hypothyroidism.
Risk factors for hypothyroidism include advancing age, type 1 diabetes, family history of thyroid disease, goitre, previous hyperthyroidism, external-beam radiation in the head and neck area, baby born with Down syndrome and females are more prone to develop thyroid disease.
Hyperthyroidism
This results from increased free and total thyroid hormones and decreased hormonal or increased TSH in the body as per the causative factors. The causes are autoimmune thyroid disease like Graves’ disease, viral or bacterial infections of thyroid gland lead to release of more thyroid hormones, overproduction of thyroid hormones due to certain unknown causes and over consumption of Iodine etc. Risk factors for hyperthyroidism include advancing age, personal or family history of thyroid diseases, and intake of iodine-containing drugs, like amiodarone, and females are more prone to develop thyroid disease. Symptoms include nervousness, emotional liability, restlessness, sleeplessness, difficulty in concentrating, smooth and/or shiny hair and skin, weight loss, excessive sweating, heat intolerance, menstrual irregularities, diarrhoea etc. Physical signs are increased heart rate, irregular heartbeats, increased blood pressure, warm and damp skin, tremor, signs of ophthalmopathy (changes in the eye). Euthyroid hyperthyroxinemia is a condition where total T4 is increased but TSH, free thyroid hormones and total T3 are normal. This is usually seen in nonthyroidal illness and abnormalities in thyroid hormone binding proteins. Source: HT
LONDON (TIP): Indians are driving a rise in foreign nurses coming in to boost the workforce of the UK’s National Health Service, according to official figures released in London on Wednesday, May 18.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) data for 2021-22 shows 37,815 Indian nurses on the council’s register of those qualified to work in the UK, up from 28,192 the previous year and a jump from 17,730 four years ago. The Philippines remains the top-most source country with 41,090 nurses and Nigeria is third with 7,256 nurses on the register. “Our register is at the highest level ever. This is good news considering all the pressures of the last two years. But a closer look at our data reveals some warning signs,” said Andrea Sutcliffe, Chief Executive and Registrar at the NMC. “The total number of people leaving the register has risen, after a steady and welcome fall over the previous four years. Those who left shared troubling stories about the pressure they’ve had to bear during the pandemic. A focus on retention as well as attracting new recruits needs to be part of a sustainable workforce plan to meet rising demands for health and care services,” she said. In total there were 48,436 joiners, up from 34,517 the previous year and 38,317 in 2019-2020, which was seen as a welcome sign for the health service coping with nursing staff shortages. The NMC found that of all the joiners almost half (48 per cent) had trained overseas and of those, 66 percent had trained in India or the Philippines. This means growth of the UK nursing and midwifery workforce has become more reliant than ever on internationally trained professionals joining the register, the NMC notes.
“Another note of caution is that growth of the workforce has become more reliant on internationally trained professionals joining our register. These professionals make a welcome and vital contribution to our nation’s health and wellbeing. But we can’t take them for granted,” warns Sutcliffe.
The UK’s Royal College of Nursing (RCN) also called for radical action to boost the nursing workforce in a sustainable way. “We again question how sustainable it is to recruit half of all new nurses from around the world. The UK’s health and care workforce is proudly diverse, but it must be done ethically and come at the same time as increased investment in education and domestic workers,” said Pat Cullen, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive.
“When we have tens of thousands of vacant nurse jobs, a sharp rise in leavers should not be overlooked while we welcome new recruits. Nursing staff tell us these shortages are biting more than ever,” she said.
The UK government says the NHS follows ethical recruitment practices by not recruiting from a red list of countries, which have declared shortages of healthcare staff. All parts of the UK have set out plans to increase the number of nurses and midwives in the NHS, with a target to boost numbers domestically and be less reliant on foreign staff.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA (TIP): Tech giant Google has hired Bakul Patel, a former Indian American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) leader as its new senior director of global digital health strategy and regulatory.
Patel spent over a decade at the FDA and most recently was the chief digital health officer of global strategy and innovation. “I am excited to announce that I am joining Google Health to be part of an incredible mission – ‘To Help Billions of People Be Healthier,’” he wrote in a LinkedIn post Monday, May 16, announcing the move.
“I am looking forward to learning from the teams in health across Google and Alphabet and helping build a unified digital health and regulatory strategy,” Patel added.
Indian American CEO Sundar Pichai led Google has pushed further into health and healthcare over the past few years. Its ambitions range from mining big data for algorithms to developing disease-detecting tools to pumping wearables full of health features.
“As a ‘technology person’ first (before becoming a policy wonk @FDA) working on leading-edge solutions has been a key focus throughout my career,” Patel wrote.
“This technology-oriented mindset has continued to guide my efforts towards helping turn digital health from a hopeful concept to a reality,” he said. “Throughout my tenure at FDA, my biggest northstar has been to make digital healthcare accessible and equitable for all.”
Patel said he had talked often about the potential of digital health to be a gamechanger in heralding a new era for healthcare generally—one that is ubiquitous and poised to deliver care to all individuals, including preventing and predicting disease and keeping people healthy and out of the hospital.
“We are in the early stages of this journey, and there is a lot of work ahead,” he wrote. “But the potential of applying technology to improve health at scale can mean better health for everyone in our lifetime. The power of technology, when coupled with a unified digital health and regulatory approach, promises to transform people’s lives.”
Patel said he wanted to continue to build a world in which we use technology to engage individuals, caregivers and communities globally in care delivery, enabling us to reach populations that have long been overlooked, marginalized and underserved. “A world where we use digital information and technology to identify and predict the onset of disease before symptoms appear, literally changing, improving, and protecting people’s lives,” he wrote.
Patel said Google’s commitment to help billions of people be healthier aligns with his goal to move digital healthcare and technology forward together.
“This means building upon the work Google has already done in health—from providing authoritative Covid-19 information during the pandemic, to using AI and machine learning to build and provide solutions for caregivers and communities to tackle the world’s toughest health challenges.”
Patel said he was “thrilled and excited to continue furthering my mission to improve healthcare for all and be part of an organization that is committed to delivering products and services to help people along their health journey.”
Prior to joining FDA, Patel held key leadership positions in the telecommunications industry, semiconductor capital equipment industry, wireless industry and information technology industry.
His experience includes Lean Six Sigma, creating long and short-term strategy, influencing organizational change, modernizing government systems, and delivering high technology products and services in fast-paced, technology-intensive organizations. Patel earned an MS in Electronic Systems Engineering from the University of Regina, Canada, and an MBA in International Business from The Johns Hopkins University.
The Human Rights Watch Film Festival (HRWFF), now in its 33rd year, will present a hybrid full edition of 10 groundbreaking new films, available both in-person and online nationwide in the U.S., from May 20 to 26, 2022.
For the first time in two years, the New York festival will be back with a full program of in-person screenings at Film at Lincoln Center and IFC Center, with in-depth discussions with filmmakers, film participants, activists and Human Rights Watch researchers. The festival will continue to offer the opportunity to watch all 10 new films online across the U.S. with a full digital edition of the film festival.
This year’s edition highlights activism and features courageous individuals around the world standing up to powerful forces and demanding change. John Biaggi, Director of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, said, “We are thrilled to be back in theaters after two years away, bringing our audience a full slate of powerful films tackling urgent human rights issues including China, Russia, the climate crisis and reproductive rights.” Lesli Klainberg, President of Film at Lincoln Center said, “History has shown that film not only empowers understanding, but also ignites urgent public dialogues about how to help the most vulnerable.” John Vanco, Senior Vice President and General Manager at IFC Center said, “IFC Center is proud to continue our partnership with the Human Rights Watch Film Festival and support their mission to use cinema to shine a light on important issues.”
FILM LINEUP
REBELLION – OPENING NIGHT
U.S. Premiere
Dirs: Maia Kenworthy & Elena Sanchez Bellot l 2021 l UK, Poland l Eng l Doc l 1h 22m
Opening Film (Photo / www.ff.hrw.org, 2022.)
“Rebellion” brings viewers behind-the-scenes with Extinction Rebellion (XR), as the group confronts the climate emergency – reminding the world there is no time to wait. Emerging as action on climate change dangerously slipped from the political agenda, XR took bold steps to break through the deadlock: mass civil disobedience. It worked. “Rebellion” reminds viewers to question white Western environmentalism and push back against a fight that ignores structural racism and oppression.
In-person screening:
Friday, May 20, 7:00pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Walter Reade Theater
THE JANES – CLOSING NIGHT
Dirs: Tia Lessin & Emma Pildes l 2022 l USA l Eng l Doc l 1h 41m
Grand Jury Prize Documentary Nominee, Sundance Festival, 2022
Closing Film. (Photo / www.ff.hrw.org, 2022.)
Seven women were part of a clandestine network that built an underground service for women seeking safe, affordable abortions in the pre-Roe v. Wade era. They called themselves “The Janes.” This galvanizing documentary tells the story of the past and, potentially, the future.
In-person screening:
Thursday, May 26, 7:00pm, IFC Center
CLARISSA’S BATTLE
World Premiere
Dir: Tamara Perkins l 2022 l USA l Eng l Doc l 1h 30m
Single mother and organizer Clarissa Doutherd is building a powerful coalition of parents fighting for childcare and early education funds, from her own experience of losing childcare and becoming unhoused, desperately needed by low-and middle-income parents and children across the United States. “Clarissa’s Battle” offers an insight into an erupting movement, as communities across the country follow Clarissa’s successes, setbacks and indomitable resilience.
In-person screenings:
Saturday, May 21, 8:00pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
Sunday, May 22, 5:15pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
DELIKADO
New York Premiere
Dir: Karl Malakunas l 2022 l Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, USA, UK l Eng, Filipino l Doc l 1h 34m
Official Selection, Hot Docs 2022
A small network of environmental crusaders, Bobby, Tata and Nieves – a charismatic lawyer, a former illegal logger and a fearless politician – are three magnetic leaders fighting to stop corporations and governments seeking to plunder increasingly valuable natural resources in Palawan in the Philippines.
In-person screenings:
Sunday, May 22, 8:00pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
Tuesday, May 24, 9:00pm, IFC Center
ETERNAL SPRING
U.S. Premiere
Dir: Jason Loftus l 2022 l Canada l Eng, Mandarin Chinese l Doc l 1h 26m
In March 2002, members of the outlawed spiritual group Falun Gong hijacked a state TV station in China. Their goal was to counter the government narrative about their practice. In the aftermath, police raids sweep Changchun City, and comic book illustrator, Daxiong (Justice League, Star Wars), a Falun Gong practitioner, is forced to flee.
In-person screenings:
Monday, May 23, 6:15pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
Tuesday, May 24, 6:30pm, IFC Center
MIDWIVES
New York Premiere
Dir: Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing l 2022 l Myanmar, Germany, Canada l Rohingya, Rakhine, Burmese l Doc l 1h 31m
Winner, World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award: Excellence in Verité Filmmaking, Sundance 2022
Hla is a Buddhist and the owner of an under-resourced medical clinic in western Myanmar, where the Rohingya (a Muslim minority community) are persecuted and denied basic rights. Nyo is a Rohingya and an apprentice midwife who acts as assistant and translator at the clinic. Risking her own safety daily by helping Muslim patients, she is determined to become a steady healthcare provider and resource for the families who desperately need her.
In-person screenings:
Saturday, May 21, 5:15pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
Monday, May 23, 6:30pm, IFC Center
THE NEW GREATNESS CASE
World Premiere
Dir: Anna Shishova l 2022 l Finland, Croatia, Norway l Russian l Doc l 1h 32m
In “The New Greatness Case” with hidden camera footage, and an intimate relationship with the protagonists, the director, Anna Shishova, shows the complete repression of present-day Russia, and how young, free-thinking people are seen as a threat to the government.
In-person screenings:
Tuesday, May 24, 9:00pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
Wednesday, May 25, 6:30pm, IFC Center
NO U-TURN
New York Premiere
Dir: Ike Nnaebue l 2022 l France, Nigeria, South Africa, Germany l Eng, Igbo, French, Nigerian Pidgin l Doc l 1h 34m
Special Mention, Documentary Award, Berlinale 2022
In his first documentary, “No U-Turn,” Nigerian director Ike Nnaebue retraces the life-changing journey he made over 20 years ago. Overlaid with a powerful poetic commentary, this self-reflective travelog hints at the deep longing of an entire generation for a better life.
In-person screenings:
Tuesday, May 24, 6:15pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
Wednesday, May 25, 9:00pm, IFC Center
UP TO G-CUP
World Premiere
Dir: Jacqueline van Vugt l 2022 l Netherlands l Kurdish, Arabic l Doc l 1h 20m
Northern Iraq’s first lingerie store not only sells underwear, but also acts as a meeting place where women connect to their bodies and sensuality after overcoming the traumas of oppression, war, and conservative morality. Director Jacqueline van Vugt captures intimate stories about love, sex, shame, and war.
In-person screenings:
Monday, May 23, 9:00pm, IFC Center
Wednesday, May 25, 9:00pm, Film at Lincoln Center, Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center
YOU RESEMBLE ME
New York Premiere
Dir: Dina Amer l 2021 l France,Egypt,USA l Arabic, French l Drama l 1h 31m
Who was Hasna Aït Boulahcen? After the November 2015 Paris bombings, she was labelled “Europe’s first female suicide bomber.” Director Dina Amer, in this nuanced drama shows what happens when society fails to protect a child, and how discrimination, poverty, and abuse facing young people can allow radicalization to plant roots and grow, with devastating impact on the wider community.
Digital Screenings:
DIGITAL SCREENINGS for each film are available to watch at your own pace, any time between May 20-26, 2022 on the festival’s digital streaming platform.
TICKETS
TICKETS can be purchased at the IFC Center, Film at Lincoln Center and Human Rights Watch. In-Theater tickets are available online or at the Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) and the IFC box offices. For individual film tickets or a Festival Pass at a discounted price, visit ff.hrw.org/newyork, filmlinc.org or ifccenter.com. The entire Festival can be rented on the festival streaming site May 20, 9 a.m. EDT until May 26, 11:59 PST. For more information and accessibility options for each digital presentation, visit ff.hrw.org.
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH FILM FESTIVAL
For Details and Program updates, visit ff.hrw.org. For more information and accessibility options for each digital presentation, visit ff.hrw.org.
FESTIVAL IN-PERSON SAFETY PROTOCOLS
For Festival disclaimers, and other Safety Protocols, visit ff.hrw.org
(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Cuisine, Health & Wellness and Spirituality)
“The Ugly Truth.”“Ela: Breaking Boundaries.” (Photos / Hi Film Fest)
By Mabel Pais
Krishna Ashu Bhati’s “The Ugly Truth” and Swapna Kurup’s ”Ela: Breaking Boundaries” among them
The Harlem International Film Festival (Hi), New York takes place May 5-15. This 17th Edition is a hybrid presentation of the annual event. Harlem International Film Festival’s Program Director, Nasri Zacharia, said, “We are excited to once again have screenings at the New York Public Library and Columbia University, which both hold wonderful memories for this film festival. At the same time, we look forward to sharing so many wonderful films virtually to introduce our audiences throughout the state of New York to films from around the world. And, of course, we’ll continue our efforts to truly showcase the filmmakers and the setting of our beloved home neighborhoods of Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, which we call the HUB.”
2022 HI FILM LINEUP
OPENING NIGHT SELECTIONS
A Gorgeous Mosaic
DIR: Jamal Joseph l USA l 25m l World Premiere
A portrait of David Dinkins, the first Black mayor of New York City.
An American Street Mural in Harlem
DIR: Ano Okera l USA l 39m l World Premiere
Love is in the Legend
DIR: Myra Lewis l USA l 1h 50m l World Premiere
Friday Screenings at Columbia University
Clarisa
DIR: Philip Knowlton l USA l 17m
Let’s Talk Mental Health in Color
DIR: Camille Bradshaw l USA l 56m
Swimming Against the Current
DIR: Aminah Salaam l USA l 55m
Saturday Screenings at the AMC Magic Johnson Theater Harlem 9
Blurring the Color Line: Chinese in the Segregated South
DIR: Crystal Lee Kwok l USA l 1h 17m
Preceded by
Shot in Italy
DIR: Mirko Bischofberger l Switzerland l 16m
Sign the Show
DIR: Cat Brewer l USA l 1h 36m
Saturday Shortcuts #1
Uptown Shorts From Harlem to the Bronx
(TRT: 1h 6m)
B-Box
DIR: Xavier Michael Griffiths l USA l 10m
En Avant
DIR: Sarah Jean Williams l USA l 13m l East Coast Premiere
If My Voice Rang Louder Than My Skin
DIR: Kyra Peters l USA l 4m l East Coast Premiere
Lowlife
DIR: Alexandra Hinojosa l USA l 9m
Pécho
DIR: Luis Villanueva, Pier Paolo, Mason Coburn l Philippines l 2m
Silent Partner
DIR: Aristotle Torres l USA l 16m
Sheila
DIR: Gabri Christa l USA l 8m
Saturday Shortcuts #2
Black Love Matters
(TRT: 91 min)
An American Street Mural in Harlem
DIR: Ano Okera l USA l 39m l World Premiere
Black.Eco
DIR: Shauna Davis l USA l 12m
Black Love Manifesto
DIR: Liza Jessie Peterson l USA l 20m
Black Rainbow
DIR: Zig Dulay l Philippines l 20m l International Premiere
VIRTUAL SCREENING SELECTIONS
NARRATIVE FEATURES
Broken Blooms
DIR: Luisito Lagdameo Ignacio l Philippines l 1h 43m l East Coast Premiere
Maya And Her Lover DIR: Nicole Sylvester l USA l 1h 46m
Never Better
DIR: Julianne Fox l USA l 1h 21m l World Premiere
Person Woman Man Camera TV
DIR: Niav Conty l USA l 1h 17m
Playing Through
DIR: Balbinka Korzeniowska l USA l 1h 27m
Raise Your Hand
DIR: Jessica Rae l USA l 1h 31m
Ranch Water
DIR: Sophie Miller l USA l 1h 20m
The Ugly Truth
DIR: Krishna Ashu Bhati l Germany l 1h 36m
The Walk
DIR: Daniel Adams l USA l 1h 44m
What is Buried Must Remain
DIR: Elias Matar l Lebanon l 1h 35m l World Premiere
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Cinema and Sanctuary – Hans Richter & America’s First Documentary Film
DIR: Dave Davidson l USA l 60m
City of a Million Dreams
DIR: Jason Berry l USA l 89m
Dying for Gold
DIR: Catherine Meyburgh & Richard Pakleppa l South Africa l 1h 39m
Ela: Breaking Boundaries
DIR: Swapna Kurup l USA l 53m
Exclusion U
DIR: Ginger Gentile l USA l 1h 25m
Girls for Future
DIR: Irja von Bernstorff l Germany l 1h 22m
Hiroshima: City of Water
DIR: Chris John Brooke l UK l 1h 8m
Landis, Just Watch Me
DIR: Eric Cochran l USA l 1h 35 min
Leveling Lincoln
DIR: Arden Teresa Lewis l USA l 1h 19m
Manzanar, Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust
DIR: Ann Kaneko l USA l 1h 24m
My Mother’s Son
DIR: Jose Batista-Ayala l USA l 1h 27m
Samira’s Dream/Ndoto ya Samira
DIR: Nino Tropiano l Ireland l 1h 28m
Stateless
DIR: Michéle Stephenson l Haiti l 1h 34m
The Rumba Kings
DIR: Alan Brain l Peru l 1h 35m
Tonton Manu
DIR: Patrick Puzenat & Thierry Dechilly l France l 1h 30m
Truth Tellers
DIR: Richard Kane l USA l 58m
Ushiku
DIR: Thomas Ash l Japan l 1h 27m
Why We Walk
DIR: Eric Bishop l USA l 55m
WEBISODES
Bronx’ish
DIR: Danielle Alonzo l USA l 9m
How Did That Happen?!
DIR: Laurence Shanet l USA l 27m
How to Hack Birth Control
DIR: Sassy Mohen l USA l 27 m
Lost/Found
DIR: Brian Christopher White l USA l 24m
QauranDream!
DIR: Jeffrey Elizabeth Copeland
SHORTS
American Justice on Trial
DIR: Andrew Abrahams & Herb Ferrette l USA l 40m
Birdie
DIR: Andrew Edison l USA l 13m l East Coast Premiere
Just a Moment
DIR: Djigui Diarra l France l 28m
Last Laugh
DIR: Paul Lewis Anderson l USA l 25m
Out of Tune
DIR: Portlynn Tagavi l USA l 15m
Pat! A Revolutionary Black Molecule
DIR: Lupe Tofaceit l USA l 9m
Resurrection! Airto Moreira & the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
DIR: Dale Djerassi l USA l 21m
The Mason Ring
DIR: Terry Dawson l USA l 15m
Think Like a Filmmaker
DIR: Eli Berliner l USA l 5m
When I Get Grown – Reflections of a Freedom Rider
DIR: Chris Preitauer l USA l 32m
Wildcat
DIR: Cat Dale l USA l 15m
TICKETS
For Film festival passes, tickets, and more information on the Harlem International Film Festival, go to HarlemFilmFestival.org
THE HARLEM INTERNATIONAL (Hi) FILM FESTIVAL
Celebrating the art of cinema in the home of the Harlem Renaissance, The Harlem International Film Festival (Hi) inspires and entertains by honoring dynamic films by anyone about anything under the sun. Conceived from the belief that we all have unique experiences and perspectives to share, the Festival actively seeks and exhibits fresh work. He is committed to exemplifying the eminence that Harlem represents and is dedicated to bringing attention to the finest filmmakers from Harlem and across the globe.
(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Cuisine, Health & Wellness and Spirituality)
Ganesha says, this week, you’ll provide a helping hand. You will have a significant impact on someone’s career. They’ll most likely be a friend or partner of yours. This week, you’ll enhance your cooperation on both a corporate and interpersonal level. Because of Rahu’s location, you will allow your words to flow more than they should. This week, try to keep your emotions under control. This week, you will not be able to make things smooth with your partner in terms of relationship, give it some time and things will be fine. Stomach troubles will bother you this week. You will need to revise your diet this week.
Taurus
Dear Taurus, you will now delineate your project timeline for each day starting this week. Your greater dedication to your time and labor will undoubtedly bear fruit shortly. You will be less concerned with your personal concerns, which will help you stay focused. Due to a variety of causes, there will be some imbalance between personal and social development in the second part of the week. your partner and you will be in a good mental space this week. This week you will see recovery in your long-time health issues. From this week make sure you take proper care of your health.
Gemini
You’ll have to conceal many boundaries this week. You’ll also have to keep the information you’ll get this week under wraps. You’ll be asked for suggestions and expected to be empathetic. In short, your general demeanor will turn someone’s day around for the better. What you do this week will undoubtedly come back to haunt you. This week, you’ll need to be extremely powerful in specific areas. Your partner and you will go through minor setbacks in the latter half of the week. Consumption of oily and heavy food will bother your digestive system this week therefore be careful about eating.
Cancer
This week, you’ll learn how to use your foreknowledge to counteract the material world. You’ll be able to see the genuine challenges that lie behind your slick ideas. You do not need to be concerned since all of your good intentions will be rewarded this week. This week, your intentions will clash with those of someone else who is equally ardent and power-hungry as you. Your relationship will be all well and good this week. Avoid unnecessary opinions over your marriage. Minor back pain will bother you this week. Make sure you visit your doctor this week if it gets serious.
Leo
You’ve been on the backhand side for quite some time. This week, it’s your turn to play in the lead. You will be admired by both your household and professional fronts. Students with shortfalls will be able to clear them out this week, giving them a fresh feeling of relief. This week, the chances you take will bring you into trouble. Make sure you’re taking calculated risks. If you have been looking out for love, this week will bring you someone really compatible.You will feel fresh and alright this week hence, you do not need to worry about your health this week.
Virgo
Dear Virgo, you have been developing good habits for a long. Avoiding harmful habits will let you realize how much money you have saved to date. Also, being frugal with your spending can help you make money this week. Even if your intentions are apparent to help someone in need, you will be strangled in a humiliating circumstance. Your partner or spouse will be appreciative of your efforts this week. Stability of mind will guide you a lot this week. You will be able to maintain this by meditating.
Libra
This week, anything choreographed and guided will be overshadowed by your innocence. You will get the opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones. From this week on, everything will go in the right direction. When it comes to relationships, you are a person with a pure heart who lacks tact. This will be an issue for you this week, but stay on the side of your pure heart. Your relationship will be blessed by Lord Venus in the latter half of the week, leading to good bonding. You will have to push yourself to stay active this week. Make sure you drink enough water this week.
Scorpio
This week, the stars are expecting more from you. This week, you’ll need to spread happiness around you in order to open the floodgates of good fortune for yourself. Financial fronts will also improve this week. Making investments within this week will certainly bring good results.This week, you’ll notice a significant improvement in your relationship also. Your partner will make you feel all new in love. A feeling of health and wellbeing will mark your attitude this week.
Sagittarius
Your excitement and optimism will open new doors for you this week. You’ll focus on items that will provide long-term value in the near future. This week’s religious events will pique your attention. Your relationship will not go through any issues this week. you will have to be more conscious regarding discussing certain things with your partner this week. You will have to take preventives for allergies beforehand this week. Make sure you keep your immunity boosted.
Capricorn
Dear Capricorn natives, your amazement and forceful character will be in the spotlight this week. People will want to learn from you, even if they don’t like you. This week, it will be advantageous for you to listen to the advice of your well-wishers. This week, you will leap with both paws into something without considering the consequences. Before putting both feet into anything, double-check the depth. You and your partner will be considering learning new things about each other. You both will enjoy being with each other this week. This week, you will have to take good care of your family members. Avoid ignoring your health own too.
Aquarius
This week is a very good week for networking opportunities and agreements. You will be able to reclaim your life’s equilibrium. This week, you’ll gain an extraordinary amount of self-assurance. As conflicts occur on business fronts, you will be motivated by emotions. To avoid this, keep things in check this week. Your partner and you both will have a lot of things this week.This week, a little bit of hypertension will bother you this week. Good physical exercise will help you stay energized yet calm this week.
Pisces
This week, you will outperform your own aspirations. This week, you’ll strike a lucrative joint venture contract. You’ll also dedicate a substantial period of time to your academic pursuit this week. This will assist you in reconnecting with your artistic side, which you may have forgotten about. When problems occurred, craftsmanship always made you feel vibrant. Your relationship will not go through any major issues this week. just make sure you take proper care of your partner’s point of view over things. In terms of your health, the remedies you carried on for so long will show their effects this week
The liver is an essential part of the human body. It filters the blood that leaves the stomach and intestines and then breaks down, regulates, and produces nutrients in this blood, as well as digesting drugs into forms that are easier for the human body to use or that are harmless. Hence, it is extremely necessary for us to take good care of our liver. This Work Liver Day, we will focus on ways in, which we can maintain a healthy and proper-functioning liver. Here are some changes you can make to your lifestyle to promote healthy liver:
Workout regularly
Working out is extremely important and beneficial not only for maintaining a healthy liver but for our overall health. Exercise relieves liver tension, boosts productivity, and helps avoid obesity, which is a potential risk for liver problems. Lifting weights enhances muscle and bone strength. Women, in particular, need to retain muscle and bone strength since liver disease makes bones more prone to osteoporosis. Weight lifting also helps to reduce body fat, build correct body weight, and improve metabolic activity.
Eating a healthy diet
Just like working out, eating healthy is extremely important too. We need to consume a diet high in nutrients in order to maintain good health. Liver health is also boosted when we consume a healthy, high-nutrition diet. The body requires 7 different types of nutrients; Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (fats), vitamins, minerals, fibre, and water, all of which should be consumed daily. In order to regularly consume a balanced diet, we must know what foods provide us with these 7 important nutrients. Here’s a list of foods to incorporate into your diet:
Carbohydrates
Carbs are often considered unhealthy or low in nutrition however, they are extremely important for a healthy balanced diet. Healthy carbs boost metabolism and the digestive system. High carb foods include milk, potatoes, grains and grain products (flour, rotis, bread, pizza, etc.).
Proteins
Proteins generally assist the body in repairing tissues. They also protect the liver cells from fatty deposits and/or any damages they may cause. High-protein foods include dairy products, fish, poultry, chickpeas etc.
Lipids (fats)
Fats are another nutrient that is often considered unhealthy however they are not. Healthy fats are very important for the body as they are healthy the body extracts various vitamins. Various vitamins are fat-soluble. Meaning, that they cannot be absorbed by the body without the help of fats. Some of the healthy fat foods include nuts (dried fruits), whole eggs, cheese, etc.
Vitamins
Vitamins help boost our immune system, heal injuries and support bones. Furthermore, vitamins help the body convert food into energy. Some vitamin-rich foods include citrus fruits (lemons, oranges), and green and/or leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, green beans).
Minerals
Minerals are very important for the proper functioning of various organs. Minerals include calcium, iron, etc. Some high-mineral foods are meats, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, etc.
Fibre
Fibre helps digest foods smoothly. It is essential in maintaining a healthy bowel. Some high-fibre foods are: fruits (apples, pears, etc.) and vegetables (beetroots, carrots, etc.)
Water
Water is extremely important for the liver. It helps maintain and detoxify the liver. An average person must consume at least 2.7 litres of water daily.
Say no to alcohol and substances
Alcohol and illicit drugs hugely contribute to the degradation of the liver. Several liver cells die every time our liver processes alcohol. Our liver can regenerate new cells, however long-term alcohol abuse can weaken its capacity to do so. Our liver can be irreversibly harmed as a result of excessive drinking. Drugs can harm the liver by causing serious harm to liver cells and/ or preventing biliary flow out of the liver. Source: NDTV
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NEW YORK (TIP): NYC Mayor Eric Adams inaugurated Diwali celebrations in Times Square on October 15. The festival of Diwali marks the beginning of the Indian New Year. Deepavali – the Festival of Lights, this year falls on Oct 24 but the celebrations started a week before, in Times Square. Mayor Eric Adams, Senator Charles E. Schumer, India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal, NY State Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar – the first Indian American Assemblywoman, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine attended the event along with hundreds of Indian American community members.
By Mabel Pais
