Hanging with Afro-Italians in NYC!

Fred Kuwornu has started a movement, perhaps without even intending to. But then again, that’s to be expected of the Italian-Ghanaian filmmaker and activist whose films 18 IUS SOLI and Inside Buffalo, examine issues of race, ethnicity, and national identity in Italy’s contemporary multi-cultural setting.

What the filmmaker of Blaxploitalian; his latest documentary film to be released later this year, considered a casual meeting of Afro-Italians in NYC late last month with fitness expert and personal trainer Fabio Inka, Eden Ghebresellassie, musician Valentino Agunu, professional contemporary dancer Lidia Carew and student Greta McGee; could in fact lead to something bigger – showcasing Italy’s ethnic diversity.

“There are many people who are African descent, and maybe sometimes more who are living abroad than in Italy, and they feel that they are real Italian in the culture. Also inside the international community you will find people with different passports, maybe they don’t have the Italian passport, but they have the Italian culture, the Italian language. For me this is phenomenal. I think that sometimes we have to think how a country or a culture of a country can be powerful for everyone who is in transit, not only in Italy but in everywhere…” – Fred Kuwornu

Here’s a video segment I captured of the meeting with Fred and black-Italian friends in Union Square NYC!

Fred Kuwonu will be in Ghana from September 26th – October 4th and will be available to screen his documentary films and offer a Q&A about history, the Black Diaspora and diversity in the film industry. His travel is supported by the Italian Embassy in Accra.

For more info contact Fred Kudjo Kuwornu: info@blaxploitalian.com

“Like” Blaxploitalian on Facebook and 18 IUS SOLI for more info on these films.

Travelmakerkai is now on Facebook! For more pics from the Afro-Italian meeting “Like” Travelmakerkai Blog page!