March 24
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the 16th Annual Bridges to the World International Film Festival, sponsored by World Artists Experiences in partnership with Uganda, China, Estonia, Cuba and Brazil. as well as Motions Art. The theme is in recognition of bridging the people and cultures of the world with those in communities throughout Maryland and all regions.
The five-week celebration features films from countries in the order they are presented: Uganda (2/13), China (2/20), Estonia (2/27), Cuba(3/5), and Brazil (3/12). The films are a means of presenting each country through images and sounds. Our hope is that you will gain the spirit of each country represented. All films were selected by their respective embassies or international organizations.
For the fourth year, the festival is being held virtually. In the past, the films were screened throughout the State of Maryland. We recognize the venues who held and supported the festival: Allegany College of Maryland, University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland, Towson University, Salisbury University, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Community Place, and numerous other venues.
Each film will be introduced by a diplomat, scholar, actor, and/or producer. The audience will then screen the film through the chat box. Following the screening, questions and answers will be addressed by the presenters. This program guide will direct you through the details for attending virtually and provide information on each film.
We express gratitude to the planning committee: Greg Faller, June Krell-Salgado, Linda Smith, and Mendy Nitsch. We appreciate Dr. Greg Faller for writing the essays, Patrick McAlister for his technical expertise, Suzanne Jaques and team for communication organization, and Margaret Rose Caro for editing and designing the program guide. Also, to all of the Communications’ Team, Suzanne Jaques, Bernard Wulff, Douglas Steele, Beth Penn and Diana Elson. We acknowledge all volunteers and in-kind supporters who have generously contributed their time, talents, and resources to make the festival possible. We especially thank the embassies and other international organizations for partnering with World Artists Experiences to produce the 16th Annual Bridges to the World Film Festival.
Betty McGinnis and the Film Festival Team
Guide for Attending the Virtual Film Festival
In order to attend the 2024 Bridges to the World International Film Festival, attendees will need to follow the Zoom link below and provide a valid name and email address to attend. Zoom Webinars require both a valid name and e-mail address for security purposes.
ZOOM LINK:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_D1thuUg2ScSiIr2tMaNKJg
If prompted, the webinar ID is 834 0654 9352, and the password is bridges. World Artists Experiences Webinar
At 7pm, guests will be invited into the Zoom Webinar room, where we will kick off the screenings with an introduction to that evening’s film. After the introduction, we will post the film’s screening URL in the chat box of the Zoom Webinar Platform. Guests will then follow that link to screen the film on their own computers. After the film has completed its runtime, guests are invited to return to the Webinar room to participate in a Q&A using the chat feature, if they would like to. We will hold brief closing statements and thank you’s at the conclusion of the evening.
At 7pm, guests will be invited into the Zoom Webinar room, where we will hold a pre-screening introduction.
After the introduction, we will post the link to the film’s screening URL in the Chat box of the Zoom Webinar platform. The Chat feature is located in the “Control Bar,” either at the top or bottom of your Zoom window. A notification will appear announcing that the link has been posted. When directed, select this box to bring up a new window.
Guests will then follow the link in the Chat to screen the film on their own computers. Selecting the link will bring up an Internet browser window.
We will make an announcement to play the film and expectations for the length of the film’s runtime. Guests are invited to come back to the Zoom Webinar at the conclusion of the film’s runtime. We will give you an expectation for a specific time to rejoin the Zoom Webinar.
Please leave your Zoom Webinar open and in the background during this time. Be aware that while you will have the ability to pause and resume play of the film at your leisure, we are only allowing for a five-minute buffer before the post-screening discussion. If you close your Zoom Webinar window, you will have to rejoin the Zoom Webinar to participate in the post-screening discussion.
After the film has completed its runtime, guests are invited to return to the Zoom Webinar room to participate in a post-screening discussion using the Q&A feature. Submit questions by writing them in the Q&A box.
We will hold brief closing statements and thank you’s at the conclusion of the evening.
Guests will be muted during the session. If guests have any technical difficulties, they may correspond with WAE Tech Support via the Chat feature. WAE Tech Support will privately message you to respond. Please reserve the Q&A function for the post- screening discussion.
March 12, 2024
BRAZIL
Amazônia Groove (2018)
Directed and co-written by: Bruno Murtinho
Running Time: 80 minutes
Introduced by: Counselor Iberê Uchoa de Azevedo Barbosa, Embassy of Brazil Moderator: Betty McGinnis
A camera slowly glides along the Amazon River revealing the beauty and mystery of an inscrutable waterway. It comes upon a small Círio de Nazaré procession, continues on its way, then rises until the surrounding jungle completely fills the frame. This is our introduction to the northern Brazilian state of Pará, its people, culture, folklore, and most importantly music.
Amazônia Groove offers a musical journey through a series of portraits of some of the most talented musicians of the region, whose lives intersect with the Amazon river and rainforest. The film asks, “How many songs fit in the river?” The answer is many!
Numerous— and always evolving — musical genres encapsulate the rhythm of the river, the perpetual motion of the water as it governs all aspect of life. As one musician says, “poetry comes from the water.”
The film introduces us to nine famous “poets” influenced by the river, each one practicing a different type of music. In order of appearance:
-
Mestre Damasceno, a popular culture idol and the creator of the Buffalo-
Bumbá. He performs with his group, the Conjunto de Carimbó Nativos
Marajoara.
-
MG Calibre, an electric bass player using Afrobeat, hip-hop, and rap to advance
social and environmental justice.
-
Albery Albuquerque, creates biologic transmorphic music from regional animal
sounds.
-
Paulo André Barata, poet, guitarist, and composer of popular Brazilian songs.
-
DJ Waldo Squash, internationally known creator of technobrega. He performs
with his group Gang do Eletro.
-
Sebastião Tapajós, internationally celebrated classical guitarist and composer,
We see him perform in Belém’s famous Theatro da Paz.
-
Dona Onete, a national icon and singer of traditional Brazilian songs, the
“Queen of Carimbó.”
-
Gina Lobrista, a pop singer, music video performer, and social media celebrity
best known for her “street music” at Ver-o-Peso, the outdoor market in Belém.
-
Manoel Cordeiro, famous guitarist, arranger, and producer of popular Amazon music, including Lambada, Guitarrada, Zouk, Carimbo, Boi Bumbá, Maramaior,
and Batuque.
A few of these musicians perform together in a jam session that wonderfullyconcludes the film – you may even feel like dancing!
Amazônia Groove was directed by Bruno Murtinho. It was his first feature film after a successful and award-winning career as a director of music videos and television commercials.
April 28
NATALIA ARROYO ENSEMBLE
Mexican Folk, Jazz & Chamber Inspired Music
Live performance, April 28, 2024, 2:30 pm EDT
World Artists Experiences (WAE) presents a live performance of the Natalia Arroyo Ensemble on April 28, 2024, 2:30 pm EDT, at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, 611 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard, Severna Park, MD 2114. This event is offered free of charge.
The Arroyo Ensemble is directed by the violinist and composer Natalia Arroyo. The group performs traditional music from northern Mexico worldwide, consolidating their own sound in a fresh and innovative way. The original arrangements and compositions of the Ensemble repertoire fuse the roots of Mexican music with chamber music and jazz, with the improvisation and creativity displayed by each musician constituting another fundamental feature of the ensemble. The result is a blend of sounds that captures the ensemble's rich knowledge of the Mexican traditional music and the rhythms of northern Baja California.
Natalia Arroyo is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer from Mexico who performs at music festivals world-wide. Edwin Montes is an award-winning, classical-trained guitarist who has performed throughout Mexico, the U.S., and Italy. José Luis Rodríguez is a double bass player from Mexico who has collaborated with many notable orchestras, ensembles, and performers.
Additional performances are scheduled as follows:
- April 24: Salisbury University 7 PM
- April 24: Mountain City Traditional Arts, Frostburg, MD
- April 29: Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC
WAE YouTubechannel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuNk5SRPIcpB1BdViPIeOaA
FRIENDS,
YOU are the heart and soul of World Artists Experiences!!!
YOU are…
- fantastic audiences, young and old;
- volunteers sharing your time, talent, and hearts;
- supporters giving donations generously.
Together bringing experiences of welcoming, dialoguing, learning, presenting, caring for friends who come from all over the world…both live and virtually.
THANK YOU for giving of yourselves so thoughtfully and generously.
Our Friends from around the world wrote to YOU:
- “WAE welcomed us from beginning to end. Our experience with WAE was the most wonderful we ever had in the US. We got to know the real people.”
- “Our experience with you was so unique and allowed us to dialogue freely. May we return in the future?”
- “Hosting our group gave us recognition and experiences which we will always be grateful.”
- “Sharing my culture provides an opportunity to work together toward understanding and peace. You make a difference.”
- ”WAE is great organization which does wonderful work connecting our people and culture. I learned so much that I never knew while with you in the United States.”
TOGETHER…We can make a difference in our tumultuous world.
We Hope you will consider:
- continue to give us ideas for meeting the challenges using the arts as our international language;
- exploring new and better avenues to build mutual understanding, respect, trust, and peace;
- finding new caregivers to bridge the people and cultures of our world.
World Artists Experiences needs YOU!
On behalf of all of us, may you have a beautiful and joyous holiday season, and your New Year be filled with joy, peace, and love,
Betty McGinnis, President
& the Board of Directors ,World Artists Experiences
World Artists Experiences bridges people and cultures across the continents.
HOPEFULNESS….. Virtual platforms kept WAE alive AND opened new avenues. Artists offered fresh ideas and gratitude for WAE. Audiences anticipate the human touch. We are reminded by people everywhere of the great need to bridge our world. We hope that you will continue to support WAE with your time, talents and resources.
GRATEFULNESS….. We express heartfelt gratitude to faithful, caring and committed volunteers, friends around the world for their encouragement, and to our generous donors for their financial and other support.
THOUGHTFULNESS…..With your inspiration, ideas, kindness, and talents, the important work of bringing people and cultures closer by dialoguing, forming friends around the world, and dialoguing to build trust, respect and peace using the art as our bridge will continue.
Thank you for your creativity, kindness, support and embracing World Artists Experiences. We, together, will continue to bridge our fragile world for mutual cultural understanding. On behalf of all of us, may your holidays be filled with joy and beauty and your New Year with good health and peace.
Betty McGinnis and
The Board of Directors
World Artists Experiences
World Artists Experiences (WAE) is a non-profit organization that builds bridges for international understanding through cultural and citizen diplomacy in communities, colleges, and schools. In its 12-year history, WAE has partnered with over one hundred fifteen countries around the world to present their diverse and rich culture through numerous experiences.