Multi-hyphenate, multidisciplinary artist Saul Williams brings his unique dynamism to this Afrofuturist vision, a sci-fi punk musical that’s a visually wondrous amalgamation of themes, ideas and songs that Williams has explored in his work, notably his 2016 album, MartyrLoserKing. Co-directed with the Rwandan-born artist and cinematographer Anisia Uzeyman, the film takes place in the hilltops of Burundi, where a group of escaped coltan miners form an anti-colonialist computer hacker collective. From their camp in an otherworldly e-waste dump, they attempt a takeover of the authoritarian regime exploiting the region’s natural resources and its people. Set between states of being – past and present, dream and waking life, colonized and free, male and female, memory and prescience – Neptune Frost is an invigorating and empowering direct download to the cerebral cortex and a call to reclaim technology for progressive political ends.
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Festival Appearances
Cannes Directors’ Fortnight 2021
Toronto International Film Festival 2021
Sundance Film Festival 2022
International Film Festival Rotterdam 2022
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Saul Williams
Saul Williams is an American poet, musician, and actor. He made his acting debut in Marc Levin’s Slam (1998), which he co-wrote. Saul was a series regular on Girlfriends and has appeared in films including: New York, I Love You (2008), Aujourd’hui-TEY (2012), and Akilla’s Escape (2020). In 2014, Saul made his Broadway debut as the lead in Holler If Ya Hear Me, based on the lyrics of Tupac Shakur.
Anisia Uzeyman
Anisia Uzeyman is an actress, playwright and director. Born in Rwanda, she studied drama at the Conservatoire national supérieur d’art dramatique (CNSAD) in Paris. Her directorial debut, Dreamstates (2016), was shot entirely on iPhones and starred Saul Williams, William Nadylam and Beau Sia. As an actress, Anisia has starred in the award-winning film, Aujourd’hui-TEY (2012), and the feature film, Ayiti Mon Amour (2017).
Fri, 4 Nov | 7:35 pm | Picture Time 2