Event Calendar
EXHIBITION - Things Fall Apart
The Kultur Ensemble Atlanta presents:
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the premiere of the Nigerian-German movie “Things Fall Apart” in Atlanta and discover the story of the groundbreaking African film, its deep ties to Atlanta, the Black film industry, Black heroes, Oscar winners, Civil Rights, and ATL’s rise as a global city.
exhibition THINGS FALL APART - Film Stills by Stephen Goldblatt
at Gallery 72
https://ocaatlanta.com/gallery-72
CURATORS: Akinbode Akinbiyi and Gisela Kayser
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join the opening reception
Thursday, February 20, 2025
6:00 - 9:00 PM
at Gallery 72
See link in blue below to register.
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"Things Fall Apart" is the debut novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It portrays the life of Okonkwo, a traditional influential leader of the fictional Igbo clan, Umuofia. He is a feared warrior and a local wrestling champion who opposes colonialism and the early Christian missionaries. Published in 1958 by William Heinemann Ltd, the novel gained critical acclaim and popularity and has been translated into fifty languages.
Created in 1971 in Nigeria, little was known about the circumstances and the making of the film Things Fall Apart until the images were discovered in the estate of the late film director Jason Pohland.
The exhibition, a cross-cultural collaboration, showcases the long-lost documents of the making of the film with a collection of still photo prints by accomplished cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt.
The film and the exhibition highlight the connection and struggle between Africa and the West, between generations and cultures, and also the story of Nigerian-Atlantan collaboration, the shaping of modern, global Atlanta and Sister Cities relationships, the Black film industry, African royalty, and ATL-local high-profile changemakers.
The 1974 premiere of Things Fall Apart in Atlanta draws direct connections to the election of Maynard Jackson in the same year, as the Nigerian co-producer, legendary filmmaker Francis Oladele, was his brother-in-law. Moreover, the premiere was directly connected to the founding of the Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs and the establishment of the Atlanta-Lagos Sister City partnership, which both celebrated their 50th anniversary just recently.
