lokuuraz magazine february 2014

2 February 2014/LOKuuRAZ

3February 2014/LOKuuRAZ

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LOKuuRAZ Magazine Team:

President, Graphic Designer: Jose C. SilvaChief Editor: Claudina SilvaPhotographers: 337photos

contents14 Ronise Vieira“FORCV’s personalidade Caboverdiana do ano 2013”

16 Exclusive with Rashad Roulhac“Cape Verdean American Film Festival”

Baroneza Project

18 Talks about her movie project “The Sacrifice”

05 Designer ElisandraELLIE PARIS

p.27

Talking about his film “Bon Vida”by Claudina SilvaInterview by Jose C. Silva

Exclusive with Anthony Flores

p.5p.22

p.18Sara DePina

p.22

by Claudina Silvainterview by Jose Silva

Rui Canvasking Lopes“Inside the mInd of a filmmaker” p.28 337photos’ top pics

of 2013

ELLIEPARIS

Born as Elisandra Da Silva Pereira. This young Cape Verdean entrepreneur and philanthropist, has the honor of being the first college graduate in her family. Living in the U.S. since May of 2010; currently she is a PhD student enrolled in the Luso-Afro-Brazilian Studies and Theory program, and a teaching fellow at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for the Department of Portuguese since Fall of 2011. There, she is also one of the advisors for the Cape Verdean student Association (CVSA). Despite all of her busy schedule, she still finds time to follow her entrepreneurial drive and spirit. Recently, she found Ellie Paris, an intercultural clothing line company.

Ellie Paris is an intercultural urban clothing line committed to inspire, motivate and uplift people with original quotes, copyrighted and trademarked, through innovative designs in high quality apparel that celebrate our heritage, victories, and the lives of many leaders that shaped our history. Ellie Paris strongly believes in social responsibility. Therefore, part of the company’s proceeds goes to support underprivileged children, groups and organizations that believe in contributing towards social causes/movements around the world.

Ellie Paris is a project that was inspired by her multicultural experience while living in different European cities. Raised by a single parent, Ellie, as she is known amongst people in our community. At an early age, she had to leave her home-land Cape Verde with her mother to Europe seeking better economic opportunities. While in Europe, Ellie first settled in Lausanne, Switzerland, then moved to Paris, France and sub-sequently Lisbon, Portugal. While living abroad, she always carried with her what she calls “The Cape Verdean Dream At-titude”.

According to her, “The Cape Verdean Dream Attitude” is what always guides and motivates her through life’s challenges and adversarial encounters; to never give up, and to keep striving with the hope that one day she will live her dream of being in a position to make Cape Verde a better place by investing in edu-cation. Her ultimate goal is to bring everyone who believes that education can be a catalyst for the development of the country, so that all Cape Verdeans can have a brighter future at home instead of pursuing it the difficult way abroad. Ellie is a young woman who believes that creating education and business op-portunities are the essential keys for developing Cape Verde and our diaspora.

She recently went to India, where she was co-representing the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in meetings with dif-ferent local universities and organizations to develop a stu-dent exchange program that was established in January of 2013. During last year’s spring break recess, she conducted a direct-study program on Brazil-Africa Relations at the Uni-versity of Paris-Sorbonne. Also, during last spring she repre-sented the Cape Verdean Community in the U.S. at the 2013 Global Diaspora Forum in Washington D.C. This past July, she returned from Cape Verde, where she was on an approved as well as funded program by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, as the Faculty leader of a program abroad and the advisor for the CVSA. She was responsible for leading a group of students to perform community work and help un-derprivileged children in two orphanages in Cape Verde, the Cape Verdean Children & Adolescent Institute (ICCA) and the Aldeia SOS located in Sao Vicente and Santiago islands respectively. Recently, she was invited by the Constituency for Africa organization as the next generation leader for Africa as a panelist on “Harnessing the Capacity of the African Di-aspora in Building Africa” at the World Bank in Washington D.C.. She invited two of our local artists, Nádia Alves and Zé Rui Depina to introduce the Cape Verdean music to the conference’s audience, which turned out to be a success. To-day, Ellie Paris splits her time between the university and her company; yet, she still finds time to mingle with family and friends. Based on her life experience, one can tell that Ellie is an accomplished young Cape Verdean woman. She attributes much of her success, to the strong support and love that she receives from family, friends and the Ellie Paris stakeholders which are people who either directly or indirectly has contrib-uted to the overall success of this young company. All of these achievements are partially attributed to her best friend Eden Soares, whom has been a strong believer in the Ellie Paris project since day one. Eden is the graphic designer for Ellie Paris. In addition to being one of the main assets of the com-pany, Ellie considers him as an instrumental part of the com-pany and a family member. According to Ellie, words simply cannot describe their bonding relationship. He is the most beautiful person that she ever met. As a designer, he is the most professional, skilled and patient one that she has worked with. Whenever Ellie creates an original quote, Eden is the first person that she calls to share the news and the design concept. Eden is always willing to give his best to turn all the Ellie Paris’ concepts into a final product.

Who is

ELLIEPARIS


Photographer: 337photos

Designer: Elisandra

Models: Riza Pereira, Tida Rodrigues, Julio Brazao, Ani Lobo, Paulo Fidalgo, Ronise Vieira, Carla DaRosa,

Paula Fidalgo, Yannick Paiva, Eden Soares, Kathy Varela.

Kids:Jayel, Dianny & Anderson

Ellie also would like to thank all the stakeholders, including first and foremost Ellie Paris’ clients, designers, distributors, promoters, models, volunteers, supporters and in particular Francisca Silva, Senator Bill Owens, Tony Araújo, Kathy, DJ Brazao, Ani Lobo, Baroneza and children, Tida, Paulo Fidalgo, Lokuuraz Magazine, 337 Photos, Mona Afro Films, 1975 Productions, David Teixeira, Francisco Fernandes, Dr. Manuel Veiga, Romeu di Lurdes, MC Bife, Tikai, Carla Darosa, Yp Entertainment, To Gomes, Princesa Ana, Sara Andrade, Riza, Moises Lopes, Lucio Lopes, Daisy Silva, Jessica Tavares, Tchesco, Melany Vieira, Rubem Lopes, Erica Dias, Paula Pires, Ailton Canuto and Cabo verde na Top.

Who is

ELLIEPARIS

?

February 2014/LOKuuRAZ 13


Ronise Vieira is a talented Cape Verdean who has been making a name for herself by dedicating her time to paving the way for young women. A known voice in her community as co-founder and radio show host of Voz di Joven, Vieira was inspired to broaden con-versations held on important issues troubling many in her community by creating a group where young women would have a voice as well.

Combining her two passions writing and the desire to make a difference, Vieira gave the group a creative outlet in which to discuss core issues affecting the community. An idea that has now evolved as the Baroneza project, with the support of Movimentu Shokanti, a company that connects and engages local neighborhoods, multicultural communities, artists and arts organizations to provide op-portunities for education, empowerment, and cultural cross-pollination, the project is quickly becoming a movement.

Three months after the Baroneza project began, invitations to perform at cultural events were rushing in. To date, the group has per-formed at the Cape Verdean Festival in Providence, RI, opened up for a girl band known as Wolfe Sister, and made numerous radio and TV appearances, spreading the message of what the group hopes to accomplish in the community.

“The Baroneza project aims to empower young Cape Verdean women, and remind them that they are beautiful, powerful, talented and intelligent kriolas,” said Vieira. The name Baroneza means baroness, which is a title of nobility in England. It is a title that repre-sents wealth and aristocracy. Vieira believes the “wealth” of a Baroneza is her intelligence, her culture and her heritage. “I want them to feel proud of themselves and to know that you don’t have to do something big to make a difference, as long as you touch someone’s life,” added Vieira.

Aside from the educational aspect of the Baroneza project, the young women also benefit from the mentors who come in and speak of their experiences and how they were able to overcome obstacles and reach success. In many cases, teens are home with little or no parental guidance due to difficult work schedules. This group provides the teens with a safe space to share their experiences with others whom they can relate to. It is also a place where they can build long lasting friendships.

When asked what piece of advice she would offer to young women out there, Vieira said that she would encourage them to always dream big. The idea is to start small, not allowing yourself to be limited by your circumstances or questioning your abilities. Vieira also emphasized that you should never try to measure success by how many people remember your name or face, for your success is the legacy you will leave behind. Ending with a quote from Mother Theresa, Vieira added, “‘Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.’” Stay tuned for much more from the Baroneza project.

“FORCV’s Personalidade Caboverdiana do Ano 2013” Article by Claudina Silva

Interview by Jose SilvaPhotography by Paulo Fidalgo

Ronice VieiraBaroneza Project


Rashad Roulhac’s story is one of passion and tenacity. Rising from an influential upbringing in Orlando, Flor-

ida, he studied and eventually graduated from Valencia Film School. Coming from a mixed ethnic background

of African American and Cape Verdean descent, Roulhac embraced diversity at an early age. Upon graduating

from college, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his film career.

While in L.A., Roulhac worked on numerous projects, including independent films, music videos and produc-

tions. Soon after he went on to participate in the Slamdunk & Sundance Film Festival in Provo, Utah. Roulhac

eventually moved to Philadelphia to work for ABCNEWS, and then to New York, where he currently works for

the Good Morning America show.

In an effort to pursue a lifelong dream of bringing his Cape Verdean identity to light on screen, Roulhac de-

cided to get in touch with his roots. Realizing that it would be difficult since he did not reside in one of the

typical Cape Verdean “hotspots,” such as Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, Roulhac started an

organization that would soon be known as The Cape Verdean Philadelphia Social Group.

Although the group started out small, featuring a monthly wine and dine with Cape Verdeans in the Philadel-

phia area, Roulhac soon came to the realization that he had very limited knowledge of his own culture. Even

the simple aspects like the food, language, history, and the dance had been foreign to him, as well as some

of the other members of the group. This was especially true for those who were from mixed backgrounds and

were not raised in a typical Cape Verdean household.


Since Roulhac came from a film background, he decided that this would the perfect opportunity to found a

film festival that would be dedicated to Cape Verde film and culture. This would not only allow him to learn

more about his culture but would also help those around the country from other races to learn more about

Cape Verde and its people. To make this dream a reality, Roulhac contacted his friend Luce Coutinho, who

works for BET and runs The Cape Verdean Network DC, to be a part of the project and make it happen.

The main purpose of The Cape Verdean American Film Festival will be to showcase the Cape Verdean culture

to the masses. Roulhac hopes that the film festival will be instrumental in pushing our culture into the lime-

light, especially given that there are many past and current Cape Verdean artists of all genres who have been

successful in the entertainment industry.

“I also want the festival to lift the spirits of the young Cape Verdean youth, who are living in Massachusetts

and surrounding areas, and may not have or see any positive role models in their lives,” said Roulhac. He

added, “I feel that a gathering of Cape Verdean stars who are famous and doing great things in the world like

actor Michael Beach or The Mendes Brothers will encourage our youth to stay away from street life and strive

to make their lives and communities better.”

As the project unfolds, filmmakers are encouraged to submit their films via the website, www.cvaff.com,

beginning in October 2014. Roulhac affirms that The Cape Verdean American Film Festival will not just be for

films from Cape Verde or by Cape Verdean filmmakers. It is open to all races and cultures, including African,

Brazilian, African American, and Caucasian American.

“We intend on headlining Proud To Be Cape Verdean by filmmaker Mike Costa and Contract by filmmaker

Guenny Pires,” said Roulhac. Furthermore, he added, “We look forward to finding and connecting with all Cape

Verdean filmmakers out there so that we can get your short film, documentary, or feature film into our first

festival or for our much anticipated 2nd festival to be held in Boston!”

When asked what advice he would extend to the young filmmakers dreaming of making it in the industry,

Roulhac replied: “Just do your craft, do your passion. Don’t have the mindset that you’re doing it for money;

if you do then your product will lack heart. If you do what you have a passion for in life then it will be unique

and your own. And that’s where the true talent is discovered and praised.”

Roulhac stated that also important is having patience, as Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes years to craft

one’s filmmaking skills and link with the right people to move on to the next level. Roulhac affirmed that per-

severance is key: “Never give up just because your film or video isn’t liked. Your next one might just be a hit!”

Be sure to check out The Cape Verdean American Film Festival, set to launch in the near future.

“I also want the festival to lift the spirits of the young Cape Verdean youth, who are living in Mas-

sachusetts and surrounding areas, and may not have or see any positive role models in their lives,”


Sara DePinaTalks about her movie project

“The Sacrifice”Photographer: Popo

Rising from humble beginnings in Cape Verde, Sara DePina once struggled with the idea that her childhood dreams of making it in the modeling and acting field might remain a dream. After moving to the U.S., she gradually learned that some dreams can come true if you are willing to work towards them. Among other passions, it is her love for writing that has kept her dream alive.

Like many young women her age, Sara planned to go to college and establish a foundation for her future; little did she know that she would instead find solace in writing. With the support of her fam-ily and friends who believed in her talents, she decided to start her first movie project, The Sacrifice. Since then doors have started opening for her.

The inspiration for her movie arose from a compilation of romantic stories. “I always wanted to write a romantic drama since I love romantic books and movies, so I was inspired to create one of my own,” said Sara. It took almost two years to finish, but in the end Sara would have a finished product that she would be proud of.

The story is about a young girl who finds herself in a difficult situation and is faced with a decision that will affect her future, forcing her to potentially endanger her own life in order to save someone she loves. “Few people would sacrifice themselves for the one they love and those are the strongest ones; but sometimes we have to be careful with the choices we make,” said Sara. “Every decision has a consequence. We have to think twice if a person is really worth the sacrifice,” she added. This emotional movie promises to not only be heartbreaking, but may also serve as a learning tool for young girls all over the world. The hope is that it will convey the message that young women should be cautious of deceitful people, and be more assertive in shielding themselves from potential con-artists who could selfishly lure them into sexual slavery or mistreatment. Sara hopes this movie will ultimately make a difference in people’s lives.

Art in all of its forms has a way of teaching great life lessons, and for Sara it has been no different. “In developing my project, I have learned that nothing is given to you in life; you have to work for it and never give up,” said Sara. When asked what advice she would give to young aspiring artists, she added: “Always follow your dream and always believe in yourself. If you fall on the way, pick yourself up, continue your walk and keep your head up.” Stay tuned for the unveiling of Sara’s new movie The Sacrifice.

“The Sacrifice is The story about a strong and independent Cape Verdean woman who sacrifices her youth to take care of her mother who’s suffering from cancer; when she suddenly meets and falls in love with an American tourist who offers her the world in a silver platter but unintentionally becomes the beginning of

her ruin after she travels to the United States.”

To fund the project go to:http://www.gofundme.com/3nggao


As with most people immigrating to the US, the language quickly poses a barrier, and they have to find a way to overcome it if they want any chance of succeeding. For Rui Canvasking Lopes, television and movies proved to be instrumental in this endeavor.

Lopes’s passion for the arts, particularly visual arts, was a driving force for his success in school and would continue to play a key role in his future success. From the moment he was selected for the Scholastic Art Awards in high school, he knew that he needed to pursue his dream and believed he had a good chance of making it in the field. After high school, Lopes continued to push himself while attending the Art Institute of Boston (AIB). He enjoyed collaborating with fellow young artists from across the country on various projects. Win-ning Best Overall Foundation (freshman) Portfolio gave him the vote of confidence he needed to take new risks. After two years of art school, he decided to pack his bags and head to California. Following his childhood dream of directing a film, Lopes began researching filmmaking. While in California, he met various people and gained much needed life experience. He soon learned about a proposal for a film studio to be built in Plymouth, and with the help of his good friend Alex DaLuz decided to move back to Massachusetts to work on a film portfolio. For the next two years, Lopes worked on over 40 video projects. It was then that he and DaLuz started a two person company called King 2 King productions. During this same time period, Rui worked with the CV promotion group Terra Terra where he worked as videographer for the group, documenting club events. Not too long after that, Lopes, along with DaLuz and a few other friends would organize a full service entertainment group known as Empire Kings. The goal of Empire Kings was to have a company that provided everything from music production to music videos and graphic designs and even DJs for parties.

Lopes continued to build his experience by working in weddings, music videos and comedy skits. During this time, he met other Cape Verdean filmmakers, including Kai Boa and Peter Silva, from whom he was able to get insights into the filmmaking culture. Soon after, Lopes, DaLuz and a few of their friends founded what would later be known as 1975 Productions.

The year that Cape Verde achieved its independence from Portugal, 1975, would come to repre-sent the talents of Cape Verdean people to the rest of the world. The greatest CV cultural export to the rest of the world up to this point was music, and 1975 Productions plans to be at the forefront of a movement to expand it to filmmaking, and eventually pass the torch to future Criolo youths.

Inside the mind of a filmmaker with

Rui Canvasking Lopesby Claudina Silvainterview by Jose Silva


The year that Cape Verde achieved its independence from Portugal, 1975, would come to represent the talents of Cape Verdean people to the rest of the world. The greatest CV cultural export to the rest of the world up to this point was music, and 1975 Productions plans to be at the forefront of a movement to expand it to filmmaking, and eventually pass the torch to future Criolo youths.

What started as comedy skits(1975 Presents) and online sci-fi mini-series(CROSS) has evolved into collabora-tive efforts with Angolan film company, Mona Afro Filmes. In the summer of 2012, Mona Afro Filmes shot their first feature film which 1975 Productions edited, making it their first work on a feature film. The two hope to work together on many future projects in different countries, from music videos to feature films and corporate commercials and everything in between.

1975 Productions is currently working on their first feature film, as a company. Lopes wrote the script in 2012 as a short film and intended to shoot it as such. When Mona Afro Filmes signed on to the project, they decided to extend the script into a full feature. Comparable to the story structure of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, the film follows a non-linear plotline centered on three characters.

As with most films of its genre, this suspense/thriller includes several plot twists, which will likely keep audience members at the edge of their seats through to the end. “The theme of the story is simple: for every choice that we make, there are consequences. Our decisions affect other peoples’ lives whether positive or negative,” said Lopes. When asked who he looks up to in the film industry, Lopes replied that he emulates his mentor, a director by the name of Allen Mamona. Lopes first met Mamona on the set of D. Lopes’ music video ENERGY. Since then, the two have worked alongside one another, and their production companies have worked hand in hand on several different projects, including their first feature film APARENCIA. “I have learned more about the art of filmmaking from Mamona in the past two years than I could have ever learned in a classroom in four years,” said Lopes. “His passion for his art is unmatched by anyone; he has helped me understand and believe that talent is nothing without desire,” added Lopes. Stay tuned for 1975 Productions’s next feature film, to be shot in both the U.S and Cape Verde.

Rui is very excited to be amongst the wave of Cape Verdeans with a common interest for the art of film. Cape Verdeans like Rashad Roulhac the man behind The Cape Verdean American Film Festival, Anthony Flores with the movie project Bon Vida and Sara DePina with her project The Sacrifice. With these young Cape Verdeans leading the way, the film industry for Cape Verdeans is heading in the right direction.


Behind the Scenesof the movie “Falling Dominoes”


Anthony Flores is a shining example of what can happen when one allows ambition to drive success. Born in

Boston, MA, Flores is a first generation Cape Verdean and Puerto Rican American. Like most of his counter-

parts, growing up in the surrounding areas of Dorchester, Brockton and Stoughton, he soon became involved

in “street life” from the age of 14. It took a nearly fatal experience at the age of 17, for Flores to realize that

he was headed down the wrong path. Soon after, he decided to join the military.

After serving four years post September 11th, and two subsequent world tours, Flores returned home to

find all of his male friends and family were either dead or in jail. Taking this as a life lesson, Flores went on

to college where he studied music production. Little did he know that this decision would soon lead him to

becoming a part of the production team on the Morning Show, along with Ramiro and Pebbles on JAM’N 94.5.

Flores eventually decided to pack his bags and move to Los Angeles to study film; and he has never looked

back since. He has been working on movie productions alongside well-known stars in the industry, including

Matt Damon, Eva Green, and Gabourey Sidibe.

The early experiences of struggles and pain inspired Flores to write a film that would illustrate his journey. His

inspiration has grown into a movement to introduce Cape Verde and its people to the world. For Flores, this

project is not merely a movie; it represents his purpose in life. “This is my gift to the world. I want the next

CV filmmakers to see what I did and to achieve beyond what I have done,” said Flores.

When asked what advice he would give to aspiring filmmakers, Flores replied: “Have honor in what you do and

live by one law – karma.” He added that the youth must learn not by books alone, but by taking action, and

not let anyone deter them from their dreams. Stay tuned for the upcoming release of Bon Vida, a movie that

is sure to inspire!

Exclusive withAnthony Flores talking about his film“bon vida”

Photography by Dawid Rymar


337photos’ top pics of 2013

Nadi

Simony


Kendall


Lilia

Lilia


Heidi


Kendall

W.Lee Thurston Jr.337PHOTOSBoston, MA

[email protected]

Picture by IMAGIX Studio

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lokuuraz magazine february 2014

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