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Harlem
Aria, 2000, 100 minutes, Rated R
By Carla Robinson
For
under $3 million, the makers of the comedic fable Harlem Aria managed to do
what some filmmakers with $100 million can't do - they made a
soulfully intelligent and genuinely moving general audience film. And,
as if that weren't enough, the film has a lovely, polished look that
belies its sticker price. Harlem Aria is a testament to imagination.
Filmmakers everywhere should watch it and check their budget sheets to
see where they, too, can cut fat and add heart.
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Harlem Aria is the story
of Anton (Gabriel Casseus), a young man who will accept nothing less
than becoming an opera singer. He's got a voice as beautiful as doves on
the wing, but people don't take him seriously because of what he is -
Black and mentally challenged - and where he's from - Harlem. After a
run-in with a flossy neighborhood drug dealer (Malik Yoba), Anton
decides to flee the home of his overprotective aunt and make his way
to Italy. It's not long before an unfortunate encounter with Wes
(Damon Wayans, in the performance of his career) leaves Anton
destitute and stranded on the streets of New York.
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William Jennings wrote Harlem Aria
because he "wanted to tell a story about what it's like to be
Black and have a desire to pursue a goal that is not expected of
you," he said. "A guy from Harlem who wanted to be an opera
singer was about as extreme and funny an example of that situation as
I could think of." Jennings added that he was moved by "a
desire to give characters truth and dignity, in particular with
Damon's character as a disenfranchised Black man." MORE>>
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© 2000 Bent Nail Productions
Gabriel Casseus
(Anton), Malik Yoba (Luke), Damon Wayans (Wes) and Christian Camargo (Matthew) in scenes
from Harlem Aria
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It's obvious that Wayans believed in
Jennings' vision. Wayans' Wes is acerbic, smart, arrogant, hilarious,
and, when the time comes, humble. But Wayans almost turned down the
role. Darryl Pryor, one of Harlem Aria's producers, knew Wayans and
presented the script to him. Wayans liked it, but had reservations.
"Many stars are afraid of doing independent films with first-time
directors," Jennings explained. But Jennings stood on the
strength of his ten years as an assistant director and persuaded Pryor
to arrange a meeting with Wayans. "'Just get him in the room and
I won't let him leave until he's on board,'" Jennings told his
producer. "Fortunately, we hit it off."
Jennings
is also particularly pleased with the work of Christian Carmago (his
third lead, a piano playing pseudo-hustler) and Casseus. Of Casseus,
Jennings stressed, "Not enough can be said about Gabe's
performance. First of all, he had to create a realistic sense of this
character's disability within the context of this fable…. He also
had to hang with Damon when he started improvising and still stay in
character. And, he had to learn to sing opera."
If ever a film deserved a wide-release, Harlem Aria
is it.
But its challenge is that it falls into a kind of
Never-Never Land of Black cinema. It's not violent, vulgar, dumb, or
sexually explicit. All of which most distributors seem to believe
Black audiences require. Preferably, in the same film. But Jennings
knows it's not a question of the film finding an audience. It's a
question of the audience finding the film.
While the filmmakers have sold some of the film's
foreign rights, domestic rights are still up in the air. "The
domestic rights were obtained by BET Pictures," Jennings
explained, "It was their intention to use the film to launch a
new film distribution and production company. However, after BET was
sold to Viacom, the new owners shelved BET's plans for theatrical film
production and distribution. We have recently obtained the rights back
from BET, and are entertaining new offers for domestic
distribution." The filmmakers are considering self-distribution
as well.
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© 2000 Bent Nail Productions
William Jennings
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Meanwhile, Harlem Aria is steadily charming
film-festival attendees. It has already won three audience awards at
major festivals, including Urbanworld (New York) and the Pan African
Film Festival (Los Angeles). Its next stop is the National Black Arts
Festival (July, Atlanta).
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Thankfully, Jennings is undeterred by distribution
issues and is pushing on with other projects. He noted, "My hope
is that the diversity of African-American films will begin to reflect
the diversity of the people. And that these films will find their way
to the marketplace with the care that is necessary for them to
succeed. As for my part, I will keep writing, working, and praying
that my films are successful enough so that I can make more."
Hear, hear.
M
July 2002
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