by the Afropolitan Experience
As Africans, we often talk about being underrepresented or misrepresented in the media. There is no doubt that there needs to be a complete media overhaul of the perceptions of Africa and Africans both at home and abroad. However, a part of the change will happen with us.
Afropolitan Legacy Theatre, a production company that explores the experiences of Afropolitans in theater and film, recently launched an IndieGoGo fundraising campaign for their film, “My Mother’s Tongue”. According to their IndieGoGo page, the film, “addresses issues of family, fortitude, acceptance and loss.”
They go on to discuss why this project is important, stating:
“According to UNESCO, more than 50% of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken in the world are likely to die out within the coming generations. Consequently, as our languages die so do our ‘opportunities, traditions, memories, and unique modes of thinking and expression’ that are essential to human development and continued growth.
Nowhere is this impact felt more than in the immigrant communities living abroad, where the children of immigrants – and some of their parents as well – assimilate so deeply into their new cultures that they become “deaf” to the speech and idioms of their forefathers. After having countless conversations about the significance of this issue the idea was sparked to construct a creative project about it while still aiming to entertain audiences. Thus, the script was born. Upon completion of this film it is hoped that, if nothing more, increased dialogue about the role of language in our lives will ensue and the effect it has on our relationships.”
In addition to the fundraising campaign for the film, Afropolitan Legacy Theatre has also released a promotional soundtrack, “The Polyglots: A Musical Odyssey” to support the film’s fundraising efforts. The soundtrack is great from start to finish and features seven talented artists from various parts of the world.
We are excited about this film and the soundtrack and encourage you to support this important project. You can find out more about the film “My Mother’s Tongue” here.