Say My Name

A film by Nirit Peled

US/UK | 2009 | 73 minutes | Color | DVD | Order No. 09970

SYNOPSIS

In a hip hop and R&B world dominated by men and noted for misogyny, the unstoppable female lyricists of SAY MY NAME speak candidly about class, race, and gender in pursuing their passions as female MCs. This worldwide documentary takes viewers on a vibrant tour of urban culture and musical movement, from hip hop’s birthplace in the Bronx, to grime on London’s Eastside, to Philly, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, and L.A., and points in between.

Featuring interviews and musical performances from a diverse cast of women that includes Remy Ma, Rah Digga, Jean Grae, Erykah Badu, Estelle, as well as newcomers Chocolate Thai, Invincible and Miz Korona, this powerful documentary delves into the amazing personal stories of women balancing professional dreams with the stark realities of poor urban communities, race, sexism, and motherhood. The more than 18 artists featured in SAY MY NAME battle for a place in a society that creates few chances for women. From emerging artists filled with new creativity, to true pioneers like MC Lyte, Roxxanne Shante, and Monie Love, these are women turning adversity into art.

PRESS

“Say My Name is a call for recalibration of the control masculine rhetoric has within and around hip hop…[and] a desperately needed call and response to reclaim a female space for hip hop.”

Adam Hartzell Hell on Frisco Bay

“Relevant and important in the continuing and evolving discourse on hip hop in American culture…The young women are the vanguard for the next generation of artists not afraid to say things that others may be thinking.”

Michael Dinwiddie Assoc. Professor, Gallatin School of Individualized Study, New York University

“A gripping view of the world of women in hip-hop…. [P]oignant.”

Nicole Hodges Persley Assistant Professor of Theatre, University of Kansas

“A compelling documentary on women in hip-hop…rarely didactic and never plodding or obvious…a joy to watch.”

Leonard Pierce A.V. Club

SCREENING HIGHLIGHTS AND AWARDS

  • Word Beats & Life Film Festival, Jury Award
  • Denver Film Festival
  • Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
  • South by Southwest Film Festival
  • Sarasota Film Festival
  • Roxbury Film Festival
  • AFI Dallas Int’l Film Festival
  • DOXA Documentary Film Festival
  • Urbanworld Film Festival
  • Black Lilly Film & Music Festival
  • St. Louis Int’l Film Festival
  • International Black Women’s Film Festival
  • Women of Color Arts Film Festival
  • Citizen Jane Film Festival
  • Fusion Film Festival
  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)

Nirit Peled

Nirit Peled (Israel, 1973) has been working in Amsterdam as an audio-visual artist for the last eight years. She is a community based, cultural artist and film director, as well as co-founder of Mamamess, a production company she runs with her partner Dave Hemmingway. Her work can be broadly categorized within video and interactive projects. Recently Peled has been focusing more on directing short films, animation and documentaries that seek to create dialogue, confrontation and communication. She has also worked on numerous political, cultural projects with inner city youth, both in the Netherlands and abroad.

For her recent project and debut documentary, SAY MY NAME, Peled traveled around the world documenting female vocalists, MCs, and spoken-word artists in urban environments. The sequel SAY MY NAME IN AFRICA is still in production. Other recent projects include POETRY IN MOTION, three beautifully animated poems by the Jamaican poet Staceyann Chin, and the documentaries REDNOSE GOES TO CUBA (about two DJs collaborating with Cuban musicians in Havana), and THE BATTLE (about Arab-Israeli rappers).
(02/09)

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