By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
Moviegoers attending the recently concluded 34th Annual Pan African Film Festival once again saw a lot of JIMMY JEAN-LOUIS. The busy international thespian best known for roles in “Joy” and the TV series “Heroes,” “Heroes Reborn” and “Claws,” returned in his role as a PAFF ambassador attending opening night and a red-carpet screening of his iconic film “Phat Girlz,” celebrating its 20th anniversary.
When the actor, producer and activist last spoke to TASTY CLIPS several editions ago, he was featured in three rewarding viewing experiences on the big screens at Baldwin Hills that may now be seen via streamers.
“Everything But a Man,” reunited Jean-Louis with his “Phat Girlz” writer/director Nnegest Likké in a role created specifically for him. The romantic film, co-starring Monica Calhoun (“The Best Man Holiday“) and Camille Winbush (“The Bernie Mac Show”), offered a unique look at the tribulations of love across cultures.
“These days it’s very difficult to surprise an audience,” he said. “After a while, people have an idea where a movie is going. In this particular case, no one could have predicted the ending. Not one person. This for me is a great accomplishment.”
The film contained some amazing cinematography of his native Haiti.
“It was important for the director and me to show a different side,” Jean-Louis said. “Haiti is not just poverty, bad politics and natural disasters. It’s also an island with beautiful beaches and water to showcase.”
“The CEO” was directed by one of the greatest Nigerian filmmakers these days Kunle Afolayan.
“His intention was to unite Africa within one movie,” Jean-Louis explained of the mystery-thriller co-starring Angelique Kidjo and Wale Ojo. Through a partnership with Air France, it was the only film to have its premiere in flight — between Lagos and Paris.
Returning for the fourth time to the festival then was the 2012 French two-part epic film, “Toussaint Louverture,” detailing the life of the Haitian revolutionary who led the first successful slave revolt in world history by defeating the imperialist armies of Napoleon Bonaparte and setting up the first free Black nation in the Western Hemisphere.
“This is a must-see movie as far as I’m concerned,” said Jean-Louis of the film in which he essays the title character from the age of 30 until he dies at 62. Unfortunately, the movie is rarely available for viewing by American audiences.
“Whenever there is anything that can drive us out of darkness, whether a movie or person, they shut it down,” he explained. “Things have changed in the last five years. Everybody’s fighting for content, so why can’t they get it? How many mini-series do we have coming from Europe or white America about ‘The Crown’ and Queen Elizabeth? Tons! How many stories do we have about our own heroes? We don’t have them.
“So yes, it deserves some kind of distribution,” Jean-Louis said. “We just have to face what happened so we continue to. If you’ve seen ‘I Am Not Your Negro,’ you also need to [seek] this.”
He will next be seen in another role close to his heart — as the assassinated 48th President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse in the fittingly titled thriller “Killing of a Nation.”
For more than 11 years, Bill Vaughan has kept Wave readers up to date with the latest news in entertainment. Now, we are collecting some of those past columns into what we call the Best of Tasty Clips. To contact Vaughan, visit his social media pages on Facebook and Instagram or @tasty_clips, on X @tastyclips, and on LinkedIn to William Vaughan.
