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Filmmaker Dante Kaba
Dante Kaba moved to New York in the early nineties during the civil war in Liberia. The pulse of New York City seemed to call for Dante’s existence and talents. Having grown up an avid fan of film in Liberia, he immediately soaked up the arts & culture scene in NYC and began to pursue his dream of working in music and film. In the first few years, Dante promoted hip hop & house dance parties through his company RedEvents---creating a cool atmosphere for people with “good energy” to party and connect. One particular spot that was hot for years was the weekly Naked Lunch party in Soho. But after the horror of September 11th, RedEvent promoters, like many promoters in NYC, moved away from the nightlife. Dante left party promoting behind and focused on his real passion—filmmaking.
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For Dante the world of film, particularly the films that educate the public about issues effecting youth and the disenfranchised around the world are his way of life. Kaba Films is based in New York, but is focused on the world, and is dedicated to both evoking and capturing the spirit and vitality of its urban centers.
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Dante’s latest project is marketing—My Brother released on March 16th and stars Vanessa Williams,Tatum O’Neal and Nashawn Kearse. Vanessa Williams is a single mother struggling to raise two young boys. Alas, the struggle is too much to bear when she is diagnosed with tuberculosis and is given only a short time to live. Hoping to get the boys adopted into good homes, only one of them, Isaiah (Nashawn Kearse), is suitable because the other, James (Christopher Scott), is developmentally disabled. Although the brothers are separated, they forge an unbreakable bond that carries them into adulthood.
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In 2005, Dante produced and directed Mixtress X, a documentary that chronicles the travails of women DJs in hip hop and their struggles in a male dominated industry. He also produced a documentary, Liberian Soccer League (Nike) that focused on the Liberian youth who migrated to Staten Island during the war and participate in a soccer league. The soccer league has been instrumental to keep youth off the streets in Staten Island—a community where gang-related violence is on the rise.
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Dante is also currently developing several other film projects: the Origin Hip Hop Church, a documentary focused on the origin of the hip hop church and diametric opposition between hip hop and religion, which features hip hop legend, Kurtis Blow, who has a church called Greater Hood in Harlem. He is also working on Jungle Crooks, an urban-themed animation project; Voodoo Child, a feature project about a rap artist who receives supernatural help in order to become successful; and Sisters, a feature project about an African woman who enters indentured servitude in the US after an arranged marriage goes wrong.
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What is your passion?
Deep down I’m a social worker. Activist. I love to do artistic projects that create awareness. Like the documentary on female DJ’s and the challenges they face in a male dominated business. Or raising awareness around issues that youth of color are dealing with. Especially youth living in Africa and the youth that have come from Africa now living in this country, like many living in Staten Island that suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome because of the war in Liberia.
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How do you define success?
Not chasing Hollywood film money and still doing projects that I love and that people can appreciate.
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What motivates you on a daily basis?
My eighteen-month-old daughter Priya.
Who has inspired you?
African Directors, like Abderrehmane Sissako, who brought real cinematic energy to the African film diaspara. My father inspired me a lot. He brought home African films, which was rare because there was no African film distribution. One of the best films that I have watched is Black Orpheus. Brazillians are amazing filmmakers. Especially because they were not allowed on TV, so their struggle to make films has been significant. Yet they make some of the best films right now, like Bus 174, which is an investigation of the hijack of a bus in Rio. The film explains the dramatic events that unfolded as the police failed to handle the hijack situation. It also reveals how a typical Rio de Janeiro street kid was transformed into a violent criminal because society systematically denied him any kind of social existence. This film is so important right now because it explains why Brazil and other countries with the same social and ecoonomic issues have so much violence.
Were there people directly involved with helping you get started?
Gerald Barkley who brought me into filmmaking.
Anthony Lover who directed, My Brother. We share the same philosophy.
What you fear? How do you overcome it?
It’s very challenging for a filmmaker. You do become concerned about not having the money to get your films done. But I’m focused. My passion for film, youth and creating awareness gets me through it. Sometimes I wonder—should I just get a job because of my wife and daughter. You know, I have a family now. But my wife is patient. That helps a lot.
What was the one thing you would have done differently?
Wouldn’t change anything. Life is a journey.
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