The African Desperate

Martine Syms

P&I Selection 2022

  • 97'
  • United States
  • 2022

The first 24 hours as a Master of Fine Arts. Palace (Diamond Stingily) is a tall black Aquarius and a sculptor on the up. She was in the Venice Biennale, among other shows, which pisses people off; they think her success is not because of her art, but other attributes. She is exhausted, frustrated, and wants to go home to see her family. She plans a silent protest to not attend the graduation party, even though she has promised DJ.

In her first feature film, artist Martine Syms applies her celebrated conceptual grit, humour, and social commentary to the cinematic form, where the natural beauty of upstate New York abuts the Day-Glo druggy haze of an art party. With a banging soundtrack and cinematography that references street photography, giddy gonzo cinema and 1990s high-school romcoms, The African Desperate ultimately chronicles the need for release and emancipation from mental slavery.

Martine Syms

P&I Selection 2022

  • 97'
  • United States
  • 2022
Director
Martine Syms
Country of production
United States
Year
2022
Festival Edition
P&I Selection 2022
Length
97'
Medium
DCP
Language
English
Producers
Martine Syms, Rocket Caleshu, Sadie Coles, Bridget Donahue, Vic Brooks, Lana Kim, Jett Steiger
Production Company
Ways & Means
Sales
Dominica, Inc
Screenplay
Martine Syms, Rocket Caleshu
Cinematography
Daisy Zhou
Editor
Nicole Otero
Production Design
Lauren Anderson
Sound Design
Stephen McLaughlin
Cast
Diamond Stingily, Cammisa Buerhaus, Ruby McCollister, Brent David Freaney, Erin Leland, Rob Franklin
Director
Martine Syms
Country of production
United States
Year
2022
Festival Edition
P&I Selection 2022
Length
97'
Medium
DCP
Language
English
Producers
Martine Syms, Rocket Caleshu, Sadie Coles, Bridget Donahue, Vic Brooks, Lana Kim, Jett Steiger
Production Company
Ways & Means
Sales
Dominica, Inc
Screenplay
Martine Syms, Rocket Caleshu
Cinematography
Daisy Zhou
Editor
Nicole Otero
Production Design
Lauren Anderson
Sound Design
Stephen McLaughlin
Cast
Diamond Stingily, Cammisa Buerhaus, Ruby McCollister, Brent David Freaney, Erin Leland, Rob Franklin