2021 Tallahassee Film Festival

The Conference of the Birds

Expired September 27, 2021 1:00 AM
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The Directors' Choice award went to the talented and boundary pushing filmmaker, Kevin Contento, for his debut feature The Conference of the Birds. The film weaves together a handful of Farid Ud-Din Attar’s twelfth-century tales with everyday life in rural Pahokee, Florida and presents a series of portraits that triumphantly exhibit the true nature of the strong Black man in a culture that continues to perpetuate an image of degradation.

A handful of esoteric tales awaken three Florida boys to seek the Simorgh. Jean, Boleg, and Carter encounter a Poet searching for the Sun. His recitation of Sufi poetry tells of the allegorical journey the world’s birds undertake to their king, the Simorgh. This catapults their lives into seven vignettes. The Conference of the Birds weaves together a handful of Farid Ud-Din Attar’s twelfth-century tales with everyday life in rural Pahokee, Florida and presents a series of portraits that triumphantly exhibit the true nature of the strong Black man in a culture that continues to perpetuate an image of degradation.

  • Year
    2020
  • Runtime
    75 minutes
  • Language
    English, Arabic
  • Country
    United States
  • Premiere
    North American Premiere
  • Director
    Kevin Contento
  • Screenwriter
    Farid Ud-Din Attar, Jean Voltaire, Wiltavious McKelton, Roy Thompson Jr., Carter Harris, Malik Hall, Jessie Johnson, Travis Walker, Tavion Jamal Dent, Taylor Armani Dent
  • Producer
    Frank O'Neill, Helen Salamanca, Kevin Contento, Sean Seberg
  • Cast
    Jean Voltaire, Wiltavious McKelton, Taylor Armani Dent, Tavion Jamal Dent, Roy Thompson Jr., Carter Harris, Malik Hall, Jessie Johnson, Travis Walker