SPOTLIGHT: AFRICAN HOLLYWOOD WRAP-UP

This year has seen a remarkable increase of African actors in  Hollywood films. From Chiwetel Ejiofor's painstakingly beautiful and poignant role in Steve McQueen's "12 years A Slave" to David Oyelowo's powerful performance in Lee Daniels "The Butler", it seems as though African actors and films alike are finally getting the attention and respect of Hollywood.

Both Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor,  two TDB faves and my absolute obsessions, recently sat down with the Queen of daytime TV, Oprah Winfrey, to discuss their respective  films. Idris Elba, who is currently starring in  the Nelson Mandela bio pic " Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom" discussed Mandela's legacy  and what it meant for him to portray such an honored and beloved man. 

Here's a clip of Idris recounting his first night in Nelson Mandela's prison cell.

SPOTLIGHT: CHRISTMAS IN GHANA

It's December so you know what that means, it's time for everyone to be nice
to each other for a whole month.I mean it's Christmas time! Ok so Christmas isn't for another 22 days but that doesn't mean we can start the celebration early right? In Ghana, Christmas doesn't start on the 25th but rather on the 20th and it goes all the way until the first week of January. It really isn't all that different from how we celebrate Christmas here in America; kids often put on nativity plays in Ghana like they do here, just with different clothing on to reflect the difference in culture. Christmas day is when people usually go to church, often in traditional clothing, and after church is when they usually open their presents.

Children wearing clothes for a Christmas play

December seems to be the month of giving for Ghana; not only do they give each other presents, they also give the world a gift in the form of chocolate. Ghana is the world's second largest producer of cocoa and December marks the start of the cocoa harvest. Santa Claus must love going over to Ghana, drop off some gifts and get some chocolate in return, that's a pretty sweet deal.

-DJ ( who is trying not to steal Christmas again)

FASHION FRIDAY: LUPITA NYONG'O

2013 has been a great year for TDB fave Lupita Nyong'o. Not only is she killing it with her performance in the critically acclaimed film 12 Years A Slave, but she is also killing it on the red carpet. I cannot wait to see what she wears this award season. Here are my TOP TEN favorite looks of hers. 

2013 BAFTA LA Jaguar Britannia  Awards

LANVIN

 Bungalow 8 and Worldview Party 

ANOTNIO BERADI 

SPOTLIGHT:CECILE KYENGE

A trailblazer is defined as a person who blazes a trail to guide others; a pioneer. And although the role of a trailblazer can be trying,  Minister of Integration Cecile Kyenge is taking it all in stride.

SPOTLIGHT: NNEKA OGWUMIKE

I really love basketball and I really like the Lakers so you can imagine my mood was I write this, but it's not all bad since there is another LA team that's performing well. No, its not the Clippers,but the Los Angeles Sparks.

SPOTLIGHT: ONAFUJIRI "FUJI" REMET

With a fan base growing by the minute, an upcoming exhibition in Lagos this Summer, and a feature on CNN's Inside Africa, budding photographer Fuji Remet is sure to set the art world a blaze. Oh, and did I mention he's only THREE years old?!!?!

THEY DAHOMEY

THE DAHOMEY AMAZONS

Girl Power. This phrase is pretty synonymous with one of my all-time favorite girl groups, the Spice Girls. However, in this instance girl power isn't just a  mantra; it's more so about actual power and  physical strength. No other group of women, in my opinion, have embodied power and physical strength like the Dahomey Amazons.

SPOTLIGHT : THE GAME CHANGERS

One of my favorite Bible verses states, "To everything there is a season, and time to every purpose under heaven...", and for these three Hollywood actors, it seems as though their season is now. Meet (or get re-acquainted) with three actors who are making waves in 2013.

SPOTLIGHT: MAHEN BONETTI'S AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL

Sick and tired of seeing how the world depicted Africa, Sierra Leonean Mahen Bonetti took matters into her own hands and created one of the most celebrated and influential film festivals to date.

SPOTLIGHT: THE LEGEND OF NGONG HILLS

Never in my life did I think an animated film could leave such an impression on me, but that's exactly what the short film, The Legend of Ngong Hills did.

SPOTLIGHT: TAKA TAKATA

Over the weekend, we caught the first screening of "Taka Takata", a film we sponsored for The Pan African Film Festival. The film, a comedy made by first-time director Damir Radonic, tells the tale of a local street soccer/football team in Johannesburg, that ranks at the bottom of their league. In order to remedy the situation, the owner's slacker brother, Rasta, decides to get a player from Brazil (played by Trevor Noah), but things don't go exactly as planned.

SPOTLIGHT: TABLEAU FERAILLE

Sixteen years after it's debut, Senegalese film Tableau Feraille, can once again be seen on the big screen.

SPOTLIGHT : THE AFRICAN CHEF

It seems like everyone I know has resolved to step-up their game in one way or another. In the spirit of the New Year, I resolve to step-up my cooking game, and I have The African Chef to thank for that.

SPOTLIGHT: SERGE IBAKA

Serge Ibaka is a terrific player. I know, I know I'm late on this. 

Serge plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder and is averaging 14.3 ppg, 8.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. The stats don't do him justice; he plays with such energy and passion that it always makes watching the Thunder play exciting. Did I mention that he's Congolese? Add that to the long list of reasons why I like Serge. 

Now, all he needs to do is ditch Oklahoma and put on the purple and gold...then he'd be a real star.

-DJ

SPOTLIGHT : YVONNE NELSON

Known as Ghana's "It" Girl, actress Yvonne Nelson has become one of the most sought after actress in African cinema.

SPOTLIGHT: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

Seven filmmakers.Seven films. Seven cities.  One goal: to have their films debut at this year's Durban International Film Festival.

SPOTLIGHT: LITTLE ETHIOPIA

Little Ethiopia, a charming restaurant in Los Angeles, just gained a new customer: ME! Everything from the food to the ambiance, there was live music playing; to the decor, there was beautiful artwork on the walls; to the patrons themselves, gives Little Ethiopia a feel of familiarity, like you're coming home to Mom's cooking.

SPOTLIGHT: DJIBRIL N'DOYE

Djibril N'Doye

 I had the honor of interviewing Award Winning Senegal artist Djibril N'Doye about his life, inspiration, and his latest collection. Here's an excerpt from our interview.

SPOTLIGHT: DAVID OYELOWO

Having taken his first acting class because a girl he had a crush on asked him to, actor David Oyelowo has become one of the most promising actors to date.

  Born in Oxford, England to Nigerian parents, David spent the early days of his career in theatre. After completing a year at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, David soon found himself touring with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he was the first-ever black actor to play an English King in a Shakespeare production; this role later garnered him an Ian Charleson Award in 2001.

SPOTLIGHT: OPPOSITE FIELD

There are a lot of things Africa is known for. Good food. Great music. A rich culture. Baseball...baseball? Okay, maybe not so much, but, if the players from the Rev. John Foundation Little League Team of Uganda  have their way, that'll all change.