A New Season of AfroPoP: Exploring Identity, Resistance, and the Future
AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, a Peabody Award-winning series by Black Public Media (BPM) and WORLD, is set to release its 17th season with two compelling films that center on LGBTQ+ protagonists. These films, Neptune Frost directed by Anisia Uzeyman and Saul Williams, and Mama Gloria by Luchina Fisher, offer powerful narratives that delve into themes of identity, resistance, and the future. As part of the show’s ongoing mission, AfroPoP continues to highlight independent documentaries and narrative films from across the global African diaspora, making it the only U.S.-based public media program dedicated to such content.
The season features five films, each offering unique perspectives and stories that reflect the diversity of the Black experience. This includes Neptune Frost, which presents an Afrofuturistic tale centered around an intersex hacker and a real-life story of a pioneering trans woman. The film is not just a cinematic achievement but also a cultural milestone, as it explores the intersections of technology, spirituality, and resistance in a way that challenges traditional narratives.
The Visionaries Behind Neptune Frost
Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman, the creative minds behind Neptune Frost, have crafted a film that is both visionary and deeply rooted in the realities of the African continent. Williams, known for his work as a poet, screenwriter, actor, and composer, has long been a voice for Black consciousness in American and global culture. His collaboration with Uzeyman, an actress, playwright, and director, has resulted in a film that blends storytelling with social commentary.
Uzeyman, born in Rwanda and trained in France, brings a unique perspective to the project. Her debut film, Dreamstates, was shot entirely on iPhones and starred Williams, showcasing her innovative approach to filmmaking. Together, they have created a groundbreaking film that not only reflects their artistic vision but also serves as a conduit for broader conversations about power, resistance, and the future.
A Film That Speaks to the Present
Neptune Frost premiered on WORLD on June 23 and is now available for streaming on worldchannel.org. Set in the hilltops of Burundi, the film follows Neptune, an intersex runaway, and Matalusa, an escaped coltan miner, as they form a hacker collective to challenge an authoritarian government profiting from the exploitation of natural resources. The film is executive produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Stephen Hendel, among others, and is part of an AfroPoP episode that highlights the power of storytelling in addressing contemporary issues.
The film’s creators, Williams and Uzeyman, describe it as a prophetic work that speaks to the current moment. They note that many of the themes explored in the film—such as colonialism, extraction, and the role of technology—are not only relevant but increasingly urgent. “It's hard not to feel that effectively,” Uzeyman says, noting the prescient nature of the film’s themes. “There are so many topics in the film that we touched on that are very accurate.”
Language, Spirituality, and the Power of Storytelling
One of the most striking aspects of Neptune Frost is its use of language and spirituality. The film features a multilingual narrative that reflects the realities of the African continent, with Kinyarwanda being one of the languages featured. This choice was intentional, as the filmmakers wanted to create a film that reflected the diverse voices and experiences of the region.
Williams and Uzeyman also emphasize the spiritual dimension of the film. “Spirituality is a kind of technology too,” Uzeyman explains. “It's organic to the story, organic to the topic.” The film draws on ancestral knowledge and connects it with the future, creating a narrative that is both rooted in tradition and forward-looking.
The Role of Technology and Resistance
Technology plays a central role in Neptune Frost, but it is not portrayed as a purely Western or modern concept. Instead, the film explores the idea that technology has always been part of African and diasporic cultures. “The drum is the earliest form of wireless communication,” Williams notes. “All of these things found their way into the story.”
The film also addresses the issue of extraction and exploitation, particularly in relation to the Congo and other regions in Africa. “Congo hasn't been through their independence yet,” Uzeyman says. “They didn't have time to really, you know, since Patrice Lumumba was there for only six months and then from then on.” The film uses this context to explore the ongoing struggles of the region and the need for change.
A Call to Action
As the film makes its way to audiences, Williams and Uzeyman hope that it will inspire viewers to think critically about the world around them. “We have to find a way to solidify our sense of self and awareness,” Williams says. “When we face all of those different layers of distraction and what have you, we can move through them with a kind of grace that allows us to stay focused on what's important.”
The film also serves as a call to action, encouraging viewers to engage with the issues it raises. “We need all of these things,” Uzeyman adds. “We need the Ibrahim Traore's as much as we need the garbage workers that are on strike in Philadelphia, as much as we need the people who work at the airport in France who decided yesterday that they're not going to put Israeli weapons on planes.”
Afrofuturism and the Future
The film is also a significant contribution to the Afrofuturist movement, which seeks to envision a better future for Black communities. “There's nothing more futuristic than polyrhythm and our relationship to our own spiritual mythologies,” Williams says. “It's true that the colonial imagination does a lot of projection in the form of calling it science fiction.”
Uzeyman agrees, noting that the film challenges the notion that the future is solely defined by Western narratives. “The future is definitely on the Continent,” she says. “It's clear.”
Conclusion
Neptune Frost is more than just a film—it is a powerful statement on identity, resistance, and the future. Through its unique blend of storytelling, music, and cultural commentary, it offers a vision of a world where technology, spirituality, and community come together to create something new and meaningful. As the season continues, AfroPoP remains a vital platform for voices from the global African diaspora, ensuring that their stories are heard and celebrated.