An immigrant's story about the love that is lost when a man's wife and son finally receive visas to join him in the USA.

On the morning of the long-awaited reunion with his exiled family, a man is faced with the heartbreak of a different type of parting - from his lover.

A film by Ekwa MSANGI

2016, Fiction, 10min, drame

starring Nana Mensah, Sahr Ngaujah

"Farewell Meu Amor (Trailer)" (Short FIlm 2016) from Jonathan Rainier Stevens on Vimeo.

Runtime:10 minutes
Film Color:Color
Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1
roject Type:Short
Completion Date:September 12, 2016
Production Budget:3,000 USD
Country of Origin:Tanzania, United Republic of
Country of Filming:United States
Language:English
Shooting Format:Digital
Aspect Ratio:16:9
First-time Filmmaker:No
Student Project: No

Director Statement
This story is a personal one, inspired by a close family member, and takes place on the morning when our protagonist's world is about to change forever. His long estranged wife and son have finally been granted their American Visa and are arriving in New York after two decades of living in exile, but in order to create space for his legal family, he must say goodbye to the only family he's had up until that point - Linda.
I want to explore the theme of BLACK LOVE in this film, and specifically how it pertains to African people. Probably for religious reasons, (among many others), the ways in which love, longing and relationship is discussed and portrayed in African film is very limiting. I'm hoping to expand the scope with this film. I'm also interested in looking at the lives of immigrants. In most Western countries, immigrants are portrayed as the "takers," the ones draining the system of all it's hard earned resources, depleting the country's coffers. What we don't often discuss is how much immigrants have to GIVE UP in order to be immigrants in whatever country they end up in. Who is left behind and at what costs are these sacrifices made.
The immigrant story is one that's very dear to me, and one that resonates especially while living in a city like Brooklyn where most everyone is an immigrant of sorts with all sorts of complex ties to their home countries and families. The ideas of family, home, country and what that means can change overnight with the stroke of a policy-maker's pen. This is my humble offering: Black love and living in America.

Produced by
Ekwa Msangi... executive producer
Matamba Kombila... producer
Huriyyah Muhammad... producer

Director: Ekwa Msangi
Writer: Ekwa Msangi
Cinematography by Shawn Peters
Music by Francesco Di Fiore
Film Editing by Solomon Onita Jnr
Production Design by Virginia Hastings
Art Direction by Christine Ness-Doran
Set Decoration by Christine Ness-Doran
Costume Design by Ismyrne Geffrard
Melissa Watson... assistant director / first assistant director
Christine Ness-Doran... property master
Jake Bjork... sound editor / sound mixer
Iquo B. Essien... additional photography
Keve Huggins... key grip
Jonathan Stevens... gaffer
Sacha Saint-Cyr... location manager
Anne de Wolf... script supervisor
Darian Jobity... production assistant

CAST
Nana Mensah... Linda
Sahr Ngaujah... Walter

Assoc. Producers
Mwashuma Nyatta
Kisha Edwards-Gandsy

Writer/Director
Ekwa Msangi

1st Assistant Director
Melissa Watson

Script Supervisor
Anne de Wolf

Director of Cinematography
Shawn Peters

Gaffer
Jonathan Stevens

Key Grip
Keve Huggins

Set Photographer
Iquo B. Essien

Production Designer
Virginia Hastings

Art Director
Christine Ness-Doran

Costume Design
Ismyrne Geffrard

Location Sound Mixer
Jake Bjork

Music Composer
Francesco Di Fiore

Locations Manager
Sacha Saint-Cyr

Production Assistant
Darian Jobity

Offline Editor
Solomon Onita, Jr.

Titles
Tatiana McCabe

Color Grading
Kath Raisch

Supervising Sound Editor & Re-Recording Mixer
Jake Bjork

Subtitles
Mathilde Grange
Valeria Di Matteo
Asinati Andrews-Chambaka
Susana Baròn Weber

Special Thanks
The cast, crew and supporters of this film
The Mathieu Family
Abdu Simba
Baff Akonto
Rosemary Mziray-Commodore and Family
David Hernandez & Javier Quisbert
SAG-AFTRA

Produced in association with
Infinite Wings Media
Dougantsi Films

Production Company:
Epic Film Productions
www.farewellmeuamorfilm.com

Distribution Information:
E-pic Film Productions, Inc.
Country: Worldwide
Rights: All Rights


FESTIVALS
2016 / Festival International du Film de Zanzibar (ZIFF) (United Republic of Tanzania)
* Sélection: Work-in-Progress (11 juillet 2016)

New York African Film Festival (USA)
* Sélection

CineOdyssey Film Festival
* Selection