Owen 'Alik Shahadah

Owen ‘Alik Shahadah (b. 1973) is a director, writer, musician, photographer and music producer. He is best known for authoring works which deal with social justice, environmental issues, education and world peace. Born in Hanover, Germany and educated in both England and the Caribbean, Shahadah is of a new generation of African Diaspora filmakers inspired by the likes of Ousmane Sembène and Haile Gerima. In the tradition of these greats, he continues to produce work which articulates a multidimensional African world perspective. Testimony to this is his most famous work, 500 Years Later.

Education

Shahadah studied Aeronautical Engineering (BEng) in London and zoology (Bsc) at the University of the West Indies. He is currently working on obtaining a doctorate in African history and culture. He is known to be one of the few filmmakers with a science and engineering background who applies engineering models and principles to film production. He also has a keen interest in anthropology, natural history, linguistics and is a qualified PADI divemaster (scuba diver).

Film/Video List

• Our Story, Our Voice(2006)
• The Idea (2006)
• 500 Years Later (2005)
• No Difference (Music Video)(2005)
• Tear for the World (Music Video)(2005)
• Like water running off my back (Music Video)(2004)

Films

Shahadah' is best known for directing the documentary 500 Years Later, an influential film that explores the psycho-cultural effects of slavery and colonialism in the African Diaspora. The film won 4 international awards including: Best Documentary at the Pan African (Los Angeles) and Bridgetown (Barbados) Film Festivals; Best Film at the International Black Cinema (Berlin) Film Festival; and Best International Documentary at the Harlem (New York) International Film Festival. In October of 2005, 500 Years Later was screened at the Millions More Movement. Philadelphia Weekly wrote, "When participants gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the Millions More Movement rally last month, they also became one of the largest film audiences in history." He has also directed The Idea with (Tunde Jegede), a black comedy, as well as the political documentary Our Story, Our Voice.

African Aesthetic

Shahadah is seen as one of the next generation of African Diaspora filmmakers, who draws from the masters of African cinema. Shahadah believes that Africans must develop an authentic African aesthetic and bring this into film culture. He also stresses that all art in the traditional African senses is socially functional. As a filmmaker he is noted for emphasizing music to film synchronization. He stresses that African film, like African music (both of the continent and the Diaspora), has a rhythm which is the fundamental inner harmony that sets up a unique African sensibility. Owen Shahadah is a critic of Nollywood and popular “black American cinema” which he believes cheapens the perception of African culture; “it re-emphasizes, by imitation, a culturally shallow notion of African people, it serves more for the entertainment of Europeans than anything else.” (Interview on GAP Radio, UK 2005).

Music Career

Producers and pianist in the Jazz-Fusion band Ocacia, who have performed at numerous international jazz festivals, including the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival in 2000. The band has also played at many of the key London Jazz venues including Ronnie Scotts and WKD. As a composer, Shahadah has written over 400 songs including the hit Tear for the World and If I… (co-written by Maya Jobarteh). Shahadah also wrote the opening theme for 500 Years Later with African percussionist Mamedi Kamara. As an executive producer he has worked with artists such as Poppy Seed and Akhirah. He is known for fusing his sayings into musical lyrics such as: “Real Revolutions happen in the quite space” and "...the dove of peace cannot fly down the barrel of a gun" and "Ugly is ignorance worn with pride."

Published work

Widely known as the creator of the audiomentary^{[citation needed]} he has written audio adaptions of the work of the renowned Turkish writer Harun Yahya. These works included Dark Face of Darwinism (a study of the legacy of social Darwinism), Perished Nations and the Collapse of Evolution. He had written the audio production Torn land: Palestine, African Holocaust: Dark Voyages and co-written Afrikan Kingdoms. He has written a paper titled Linguistics for a new African reality which was adapted by the African Code. The paper identifies the ground rules for language usage as it applies to oppressed people who seek self-determination. In December 2005 he published a controversial report on South Africa, titled: South Africa; 10 Years in 10 days.

Quotes

• "The bucket can never be greater than the well it draws water from"
• "The dove of peace cannot fly down the barrel of a gun"
• "Ugly is ignorance worn with pride"
• "Don't burn the forest of tomorrow for wood today"

Interviews

• Rice N Peas Interview
• Deconstructing the hurt

Links

• IMDB Owen Shahadah
• What is the Idea
• 500 Years Later Film site
• Owen Shahadah
• British Films Catalog entry for 500 Years Later
• Owen Alik Shahadah's Photo site

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