“ZULU RETURN” Documents The Days After Hip Hop Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa Faces Child Molestation Allegations
THE HIP HOP FILM FESTIVAL SCREENS “ZULU RETURN” TO CLOSE OUT ITS FIFTH SEASON
September 10, 2020 (New York, NY)- The Hip Hop Film Festival will close out its fifth season with a screening of Zulu Return on September 26, 2020 through 24/7 Films TV during its closing awards weekend. Zulu Return documents the days after hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa faces child molestation and sexual assault allegations from three former members of the Universal Zulu Nation in May 2016. The allegations could not be resolved in court due to the statute of limitations. Zulu Return shows Bambaataa’s traveling Africa to meet with a Zulu oracle to reckon with the scandal.
Zulu Return is directed by director Gugulethu, a former BBC journalist and producer. Her first feature was with director Dick Fontaine, who made the seminal film, Beat This! A Hip Hop History back in 1984. She also presented and produced a two-part television program with award-winning director George Amponsah for Press TV about the African Diaspora during the 2010 Africa World Cup.
Zulu Return won BEST OF THE FEST at the South African edition of the Hip Hop Film Festival and was selected as the closing weekend film for how it shines a light on an important issue in hip hop culture. “It is important for us to have spaces where we can talk about sexual assault within hip hop. Presenting this film in the festival gives us an opportunity to spark discussions about how we can handle these issues within the culture,” says C R Capers, Founder of the Hip Hop Film Festival.
Along with screening Zulu Return, the Hip Hop Film Festival will announce all festival winners at the 2020 G.O.A.T. Awards on September 27, 2020 at 7:30pm. Festival winners will receive acquisition and development meetings through the festival’s sponsorships and partnerships including NBC Universal, BET Networks, Revolt Networks, and Amazon Prime. This year’s Boss Pitch grand prize winner receives an investment meeting with Film Financier Jon Goiser. Rapper, actor, producer, and businessman Ice Cube will be honored with the 2020 G.O.A.T. Award.
Watch the trailer for Zulu Return, https://vimeo.com/442091759.
For Zulu Return screening passes, https://zuluhhff.eventbrite.com
To get tickets for the G.O.A.T. Awards Closing Ceremony, go to hiphopfilmfestival.org
About the Hip Hop Film Festival NYC
Out of over 5,000 festivals in the world, the Hip-Hop Film Festival is the only festival to focus on writers, directors and producers who grew up in the global culture of Hip Hop. This season the festival hosts over 100 directors, producers and screenwriters from the United States, France, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Canada, the UK, Russia, Switzerland, South Africa, India, Japan, Portugal, Argentina and more. The Hip Hop Film Festival features every genre (mystery, sci-fi, horror,action, romance, etc.) of story from filmmakers who live across the world. It is also the only film festival that shares the profits from the festival with the filmmakers selected to participate.
