'Small talk, Big Word: Black Women’s Images and their 21st Century Dynamics' is a pioneering creative encounter, soon to be entered into this year's Images of Black Women Film Festival, which will be held on April 13-15 2012.

In line with the festival's ethos, this rencontre will explore creatively the issues of female representation and black female identity in the twenty-first century. The core of the project is the Word.
The Word is spoken, heard, felt and even seen.
The Word will be felt through the media of film, music, dance and poetry.

What do we hope to achieve with this project? Simply to use these creative channels to help untie tongues, unburden hearts, discuss and express what it means to be a black woman in 2012.

Particular highlights of the piece include:
- Performances by Issa Rae (Awkward Black Girl) and Dr. Steve Gadet (a hip-hop specialist).
- Several 'YouTubers' will also contribute virtually to the debate through short video pieces.
- the “Erzuli Cry” photo exhibition.
These activities will be supported by two academic talks:

- Nathalie Montlouis (SOAS) will present 'Content-sharing Websites as Tools of Anansy: Normalising the Images of Black Women' (exploring the agency black women have in the promotion and diffusion of their interests through content-sharing websites). - Dr. Stéphanie Melyon-Reinette (French Caribbean University) will then present 'Diaspora and Women's Empowerment: How Migration Built New Female Images - Positive or Negative?' ’
These talks can be regarded as trailers 'Ri yo van yo riw: Rebellion and Compliance of Womanhood within the African Diaspora' conference on gender representation and social expectations, to be held in March 2013.

Location: Tricycle cinema, 269 Kilburn Highroad, NW6 7JR London(UK) Time: Saturday 14th at 19:45

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