AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange

(Jo grunting) Cut.

ANNOUNCER: A child's imagination inspires an entire village to step into... JO (speaking Bantu language): ANNOUNCER: ...the world of superheroes... MWIX (speaking Bantu language): There's no harm in a little pretending.

ANNOUNCER: ...if only for one last epic fight.

"Supa Modo," directed by Likarion Wainaina, on "Afropop."

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

(man grunting and shouting, wooden staff clashing) (nunchucks swooshing) MIKE (speaking Bantu language): (nunchucks whooshing) (man grunting) (man yelps) MIKE: He's always back with a banger!

(nunchucks swooshing, men grunting) MIKE (speaking Bantu language): (film fight continues) (laughs) (man in film shouts) (kids exclaim, suck teeth, giggle) NURSE (speaking Bantu language): KUSH: JO: KUSH: JO: JO: KATHRYN: JO: DOCTOR: (doctor talking in other room) (doctor continues) (Jo breathing heavily) (birds chirping) KATHRYN: MWIX and KATHRYN: KATHRYN and JO: (kids talking in background) KUSH: JO: MWIX: Home?

Mum, what are you doing?

KATHRYN: MWIX: KATHRYN: Hm?

Ah, yeah.

KUSH: KUSH and JO: KUSH: JO: (whispering): KUSH (whispering): MIKE: Rea... Really, Mike?

("Mirabelle" by Don Ngatia playing) (Jo panting) (car door closes) (people singing) (people vocalizing) Trouble's always been a part of the situation So with diligence and heart, he faces each equation Never one who would complain nor let fear get in his way He simply whispers into darkness "Father, hear me pray" And in the darkness, he found everything he wished possessed A lonesome angel, child of Abel, queen of dispossessed Looking deep into her eyes ("Mirabelle" continues on car radio) (engine stops) (radio continues) MIKE: (both laughing) Can manage.

(engine starts) (sighs) KATHRYN: JO: KATHRYN: JO: (dramatically): (making slashing sounds) (coughing) KATHRYN: Eh?

(Kathryn chuckles) MWIX: (making sound effects) MWIX: Eh.

MWIX and JO: (Mwix sighs) (insects chirping, dog barking in distance) KATHRYN: Two months.

(wind blowing) (dog barking in distance) KATHRYN: Dear Lord, bless this food before we take it.

ALL: Amen.

KATHRYN: Mmm.

(grunting) (sighs) (speaking Bantu language): (giggles) KATHRYN: JO: Mm.

KATHRYN: Let me not hear you've left this house... (speaking Bantu language) JO: Mm.

KATHRYN: (Jo responds, Kathryn repeats) JO: Mm-hmm.

(clicks tongue, exhales) JO: Hm.

CHILD: MAMA NJUGUNA: WOMAN and NJUGUNA: KATHRYN: WOMAN: Hmm?

MAMA NJUGUNA: JO (imitating older man): You have forgotten your mission.

(in regular voice): No, no, Sensei.

(imitating): What is your mission?

(in regular voice): To save them all, so I can finally fly!

(imitating): In time, my student.

(in regular voice): I'm flying, Sensei!

(imitating): Fly harder!

KIDS (shouting outside in Bantu language): GIRL: BOY and GIRL: GIRL and BOY: BOY: KID: KID 2: (kids laugh) BOY: KID: (kids laughing) (dialogue fades) (ball pops) GIRL: KIDS: (kids laughing) (breathing heavily) KATHRYN: (council murmuring) MWIX: Jo?

(sighs) ("Ha-He" by Just a Band playing) Microphone check One, one, two (men singing) WOMAN and MWIX: - (chuckling) MAN: MWIX: (movie playing) MAN: (men murmuring, wolf-whistling) MAN: MWIX: (men exclaiming) MIKE: MWIX and MIKE: MIKE and MWIX: MAN: (movie resumes) (metal clattering, livestock bleating) MWIX (whispering): (footsteps running) MWIX (whispering): MWIX: JO: Huh?

KATHRYN (loudly): Jo?

Jo?

Jo!

Jo?

MWIX: (Kathryn grunts) KATHRYN: Mm-hmm.

JO: KATHRYN: (Jo murmurs, gasps) KATHRYN: Mm-hmm.

JO: KATHRYN: JO: Mm-hmm.

(laughs) (Kathryn sighs) KATHRYN: (Mwix sucks teeth) (both giggle) (crickets chirping) (breathing evenly) (gate clatters) MAN (shouting): (dog barking in distance) KATHRYN: Mwix, go to bed.

(man panting) MAN: (door closes) (woman groaning, whimpering) (panting) KATHRYN: (woman moaning) (woman panting, Kathryn breathing slowly) KATHRYN: And breathe-- breathe.

(exhales) WOMAN (speaking Bantu language): (baby fussing, Kathryn sighs) (both laughing) WOMAN: Hi.

(cooing) (woman speaking, muffled) (chuckles) (man speaking Bantu language) (woman exclaims, man murmurs) (sighs) (sniffs) (exhales) (Jo groans) (Jo whimpers) KATHRYN (grunting): Okay.

(vomits, spits) (retches, panting) (Kathryn shushing, Jo retches and pants) KATHRYN: She's not going back to hospital.

(insects chirping) (sighs) (footsteps approaching) - (sighs) MWIX: She's a little superhero.

- (sighs) She's a little girl.

MWIX: - What's the harm in a little pretending?

(birds chirping) (rooster crowing) (talking softly) (footsteps approaching) MWIX: Jo.

JO: Mm?

MWIX: (exhales) JO: (softly): Concentrate.

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

PATO: JO (in distance): Supa Modo can finally fly!

(Jo making flying sounds) (camera beeps) JO: Hm.

(shutter clicks) (flying sounds continue) WOMAN: (flying sounds continue) (women murmuring) (women murmuring) (women murmuring) (women murmuring) (Kathryn shouting) KATHRYN: (woman sighs) God is in control.

KATHRYN: ALL: Amen.

(Kathryn sighs) Hm?

KATHRYN: KATHRYN: Hm?

KATHRYN: Mm.

KATHRYN and MWIX: KATHRYN: Mm-mm.

JO: MWIX: KATHRYN: MWIX (shouting): (door opens) (sighs) (quietly): Jo!

Jo!

Come, come.

MWIX: JO: MWIX: Mum.

KATHRYN: Mm-hmm?

MWIX: (kids talking and calling) MWIX: JO: MWIX: WOMAN: MWIX: JO: So, are we going or are we going?

BOY: MWIX: Sensei.

BOY and KIDS: WOMAN: (children laughing, shrieking) MWIX: Just watch!

(kids laughing and calling) MWIX: (children shouting) (audio distorting) (regular audio resumes) (kids shouting and cheering) (children cheering) (Pato cheering) (all laughing) (Jo coughing) (Mwix speaking Bantu language) (Pato speaking Bantu language, Jo laughing) PATO: Eh, eh, eh, eh.

Rule number one?

(Jo speaking Bantu language) MWIX: (kids talking in background) (plates clinking) (fly buzzing) KATHRYN: CHAIRMAN: Anne told me about what happened.

KATHRYN and CHAIRMAN: CHAIRMAN: Days, weeks, months.

And all the blue paper and the faint ink.

We all chipped in.

I know it's not much.

This is incredibly kind.

- Kathryn, Kathryn.

We all thought that for the sake of Jo, the best thing... - I know what's best for my child.

(speaking Bantu language) She will not be spending the little time she has staring at cold hospital walls.

No.

KATHRYN and CHAIRMAN: CHAIRMAN: Kathryn, we are here-- I am here.

MWIX: (coins rattling, Jo chuckles) MWIX and JO: PATO: Eh!

PATO and JO: PATO: (door opens) MWIX: Aye.

MWIX and JO: (chuckles) MAN 1 (softly): MAN 2: MAN 1: MWIX and MAN: (shouting): MAN 1: (whispering): Do something.

(men yelping, grunting) (moaning) MAN 1: PATO: Aye!

Uh-uh.

Eh!

(Jo giggles) (Jo responds) MWIX and PATO: JO: Oh!

(door opens, closes) PATO: MWIX: Thanks.

MWIX: There's no harm in a little pretending.

- Pretending?

One week they're there... - See?

That's the point.

Jo!

(Jo making flying sounds) Supa Modo, help!

(flying sounds continue) I'm coming to save you all!

(flying sounds continue) (Kathryn chuckles) (Jo laughs) (Kathryn sighs) KATHRYN: Mm-hmm.

JO: KATHRYN and JO: (Kathryn chuckles) (Kathryn laughs) (Jo giggles) (Kathryn and Jo laughing) MIKE and MWIX: PATO: MIKE: MWIX (exhales): That's enough.

PATO: Oh... (clicks tongue) (shouting) (quietly): Jo!

Jo!

(dog barking in distance, rooster crowing) (cars passing, people talking in background) (talking softly) (knock at door) MIKE: MWIX: JO and MWIX: JO: MWIX: Jo, do something.

(people talking, whistling) (yelling): Stop!

(voice echoing, market noise stops) (whispering): (thief grunting) (thief grunts) (grunting) (straining): No!

No!

No!

(straining) (cries out) JO: (panting) (Jo coughing) (breathing heavily) (panting) (crowd cheering and applauding) WOMAN: MAN: MWIX: Thanks.

Thanks.

MWIX: Jo!

(people talking in background) Jo!

(Jo laughing) MWIX and KATHRYN: Mwix, how long have you been doing this behind my back?

JO and CHAIRMAN: KATHRYN: Hm?

Mm?

(Kathryn speaking Bantu language) Why are you making a fool out of my daughter?

(Jo gasps) Jo!

(shouts): Jo!

(car crashes, glass shattering) (shouting) KATHRYN: Jo!

MWIX and KATHRYN: WOMAN: (Kathryn murmuring) Jo!

Jo!

Jo!

Jo!

(breathlessly): Jo!

(softly): Oh, Jo.

Jo!

Oh, Jo!

(both panting) (goat bleating, footsteps approaching) KATHRYN (softly): Jo!

Jo!

(speaks Bantu language) Jo.

(speaks Bantu language) (chuckles) KATHRYN: But you're still our little angel.

Our little hero.

Mm-hmm.

- You don't have to lie to me.

- Eh?

I know what's happening.

MWIX: Then, then why did you... - I was just having fun, and it made people happy.

It's made you happy.

(speaks Bantu language), we just want to take care of you.

When you put yourself in danger like that, you know, you almost... (clicks tongue, sighs): Let's just go home.

(grunts) Dad used to bring me here and he would listen to me.

Then what do you want?

(speaking Bantu language): KATHRYN: CHAIRMAN: Then how do you... KATHRYN: The hospital will not save her.

It won't.

Jo is still alive and I will celebrate her.

WOMAN: Putting herself in danger... WOMAN 2: Yes.

WOMAN 1: ...because of ideas like this.

What she means to say is, how do we justify a movie?

Simple!

By doing what the child want.

(applauding and exclaiming) MWIX: JO: (laughing) - Mm-hmm!

- (laughing, making flying sounds) (woman singing outside, Kathryn gasps and groans) (singing, ululating) (women singing) (singing continues) MWIX: Mike!

Mike!

Mike!

MIKE: MWIX: MIKE: (Mwix speaking Bantu language) MWIX: MIKE: (singing continues) MWIX: (women ululating, cheering) MIKE: (singing continues) MIKE and MWIX: MIKE: MWIX: MIKE: MWIX: MIKE and MWIX: WOMAN: MAN: ("Ngwendeire Guita" by the Lulus Band playing) MAN: Yeah!

MIKE: Ah, Jo.

(murmurs) And action!

(Mike groans) Cut!

Cut!

JO: MIKE: RICO: ("Ngwendeire Guita" continues) MIKE: Next!

(man grumbling, child yelling) (people talking in background) ("Ngwendeire Guita" continues) MIKE: JO: Well, the more, the better!

("Ngwendeire Guita" continues) Say hello to my little friend!

("Ngwendeire Guita" continues) MIKE: MAN and MIKE: (grunts) (softly): Amateurs!

("Ngwendeire Guita" continues) (Mike roars) (shouts): Amateurs!

(Jo cheering) (Kathryn groans) (Jo cheering) MIKE: And action!

(man imitating rooster crowing) MIKE: Cut!

("Ngwendeire Guita" stops) (man imitating chicken clucking) MIKE and MAN: (others chuckling) MAN 2: (man imitating rooster crowing) (song resumes, all imitating various farm animals) (imitations continue) (imitations continue) (Kathryn speaking Bantu language) KATHRYN and JO: KATHRYN: JO: Mm!

KATHRYN: - (giggles) Can't wait for you to see it.

- Mm-hmm.

(bed creaks, footsteps departing) (door shuts) (birds calling) (screams) JO: (banging in box) MIKE: Cut!

JO: No time for that!

(speaking Bantu language) MIKE: (footsteps approaching) (gasps) (Jo makes sound effect) JO: (children crying) It's harvest time!

(cackles) JO: (gasps) (struggling) MIKE: Cut!

(exhales, pants) (kids scream) (gasps) (children panicking) (child yelps) (panting) KATHRYN: Joanna!

Oh, Jo.

KATHRYN and JO: KATHRYN: (footage playing) (footage pauses) MWIX: (mouse clicks, footage rewinds) (footage pauses) MIKE: (footage playing and rewinding) MWIX: (exhales) Eh.

KATHRYN: Jo!

(people talking in background) MIKE: And action!

(collapses) (Kathryn sobbing in distance) (sobbing continues) (sobbing) (sobbing continues) (woman humming slowly and softly) (humming continues) (humming continues) (crickets chirping) (footsteps departing) (door closes) (birds chirping) (people talking in background) I need your help.

MWIX (exhales): You've been here for too long.

(crickets chirping, dog barking in distance) MAN: MIKE and MAN: MIKE: Red carpet!

Red!

(shouts): Amateurs!

(mutters in Bantu language) (people talking in distance) (crickets chirping, people talking softly) (conversations stop) (conversations resume) MIKE: (Mike singing wordless theme) (growling) MIKE (narrating in high voice): (Mike sings dramatic sting) (Njuguna screams) (growls) (laughs) Maweni will be mine!

(laughs) MIKE: ACTOR: (wailing) MIKE: Supa Modo!

(Mike continues narration) (Mike continues narration) Supa Modo!

(collapses) (others murmuring) (whispering) CHILD: - I am Supa Modo.

CHILDREN: (all roaring) (Mike roars in narration) MIKE: (audience cheers and laughs) MIKE: (Mike making fight sound effects) (actor grunting) (Mike continues narration) MIKE: (actor growling, Mike imitates bike slowing) MIKE: (actor yelps) (Mike imitating grinding motor) One after another!

(continues in Bantu language) (narration continues) Right on time.

(narration continues) (children yelling in film) Stronger together.

(imitating cape flapping) We say goodbye.

(speaking Bantu language) Maweni is now safe.

(imitates cape flapping) Supa Modo now flies back to her fortress.

(imitating cape flapping) The end.

(cheering and applauding) MWIX: (wind blowing) MAN: MIKE: (man laughs) (exclaims) MAN: (laughing) DENISE A. GREENE: "Afropop" is Black Public Media's series on public television that is an anthology of films from across the global Black diaspora, and it spotlights all kinds of stories that will take us around the world, from the U.S. to Jamaica, to Ghana to Germany, highlighting stories that are lesser known but familiar to the Black diaspora community.

There are stories of resilience and hope... MIKE: Goodbye.

(speaking Bantu language) Maweni is now safe.

Hallelujah-- thank you, Lord, thank you.

GREENE: ...and strength.

WOMAN: The first run, 107 people came up out of this cemetery.

WOMAN: Came up out of, right.

- Daddy came up.

WOMAN: Your daddy, okay.

"Afropop" has really carved a tremendous path in terms of stories that are bringing contemporary African diaspora to our viewers.

(man grunting and shouting, nunchucks swooshing) "Afropop" has been able to leverage our Black Public Media community of filmmakers in supporting their work for the last 16 seasons.

LESLIE A. FIELDS-CRUZ: Black Public Media is a 40-plus-year-old nonprofit media arts organization, and our mission is to support innovative and interesting and smart stories about the Black experience and to support visionary content creators.

- On the call today, we have all the filmmakers, and we're all in different time zones.

So this is truly the global Black experience.

DANIELLE METZ: Mama!

BARBARA BERNARD: Hey!

GREENE: For this season in particular, the film that kicks off the season is "Commuted," directed by Nailah Jefferson.

DANIELLE METZ: I kept telling myself that freedom is a state of mind.

Everyone will be able to step inside Danielle's shoes and experience the emotions that she's experiencing as she's reintegrating into the free world.

GREENE: She participated in our PitchBLACK event, which is a forum that funds filmmakers at a very early stage.

And so we were very happy to be one of the early funders of that project, now see it in full circle.

FIELDS-DIAZ: Our investment in these makers early in their career, mid-career, and as they're seasoned filmmakers ensures that we are bringing the stories about the Black experience and the global Black experience to the American public.

- We're going to keep going, Tico-- we strong.

I wanted to show people that we still had these vibrant communities in the face of these storms.

MAN: They know we are strong, and, and, you know, resistant people.

(man grunting and yelping) (speaking Bantu language): GREENE: This upcoming season is really taking a bold step in offering films that explore some of the same critical issues, but in a very different way... ...using narrative and Afrofuturistic themes.

No one stays here forever.

But how do we leave if we don't know what brought us here in the first place?

GREENE: For Black storytellers, whether it's in books or visual arts and in film, that Afrofuturistic narrative space is a very powerful tool to create your own realities.

- It would be much easier if you don't question everything.

MAN (speaking Swahili): MBITHI MASYA: A lot of the historical injustices are never reckoned with in Kenya.

We just forget and move on.

So this film just gave me a perfect place to take some of these bigger thoughts and kind of crystallize them into personal stories.

Afrofuturistic films allow you to reimagine and redefine yourself on your own terms.

MWIX (speaking Bantu language): There's no harm in a little pretending.

I just wanted to do a realistic superhero film and base it on the love I have for my family that honors the relationship of my mother and my sister.

FIELDS-CRUZ: The diaspora is here.

The diaspora is in the U.S. We have to make sure that we are bringing in those stories that are not just steeped in the history from the African Americans that are descendants of the African slaves from 400-plus years ago, but from the recent immigrants that are here and those that came in the 20th centuries, and having a space where those stories can exist and be shared with the American public.