Boonaa Represents Toronto at TIPS
Last night, the Reverb rocked with some of the best spoken word this city has ever seen, as part of the 5th Annual Toronto International Poetry Slam (TIPS). With poets from across the continent all competing for $1000 and bragging rights, TIPS brought passion and intensity to the standing-room-only crowd that assembled at Queen and Bathurst this long weekend.
Despite the fact that poets from New York City came in both first and second — with Jamaal St. John winning his third title in five years — the Toronto poets that graced the stage made me proud to call this city my home. Of particular note was Boonaa Mohammed, Ryerson student and spoken word virtuoso, who finished in third place in the competition.
Want to know what you missed? There's a short spoken word video created by Boonaa after the jump.
For those of you that haven't had the chance to see Boonaa perform live just yet — or any Toronto poets for that matter — I'd strongly suggest you get to one of the many events by Up From the Roots and Toronto Poetry Slam (you can find detailed listings on our blogTO's events page) that take place across the city regularly.
Boonaa is also one of the poets that will be representing Toronto at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Halifax this October, so keep an eye out for blogTO's special coverage of the festival later this month.
(Image: Stolen From Africa from Boonaa Mohammed's Facebook profile. Video from Youtube.)
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AMERICA'S NUMBER # 1 INDIE PRODUCED POETRY DOCUMENTARY
BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE GV SERIES 1-6 http://www.graffitiverite.com/GV1-GV5SYNOPSIS.htm
PRESS ROOM
____________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Loida Mariano
Bryan World Productions, LLC.
Tel: 323.856.9256
Fax: 323.856.0855
email: bryworld@aol.com
GV6 FILM REVIEWS www.graffitiverite.com/GV6FILMREVIEWS.html
(GV1 Preview), (GV2 Preview), (GV3 Preview), (GV4 Preview), (GV5 Preview), (GV6 Preview)
BWP Press, Los Angeles, CA-- Multi Award-Winning Indie Filmmaker Bob Bryan is proud to announce the release of his new Documentary GV6 THE ODYSSEY: Poets, Passion & Poetry, The Complex & Compelling Face of Poetry. GV6 is the newest addition to the already highly lauded & distributed Graffiti Verite' Series 1-6.
This Critically Acclaimed Poetry Documentary was created (according to the filmmaker) specifically for Adult & Young Adult audiences. GV6 THE ODYSSEY: Poets, Passion & Poetry (the film) truthfully explores the psyche', raison d'etre and the raw reality of 21st Century Contemporary Poets and their creative process and struggles.
How are Poets able to conjure powerful provocative mental images, stimulate secret passions, stir-up complex and unresolved personal issues in their audiences? What motivates these Poets to Confess, Create and Bend ?Reality? ?
GV6 THE ODYSSEY DVD examines and reveals the truth behind 31 Multi-Ethnic Award-Winning Published and Respected Poets and their Poetic Creations in a seamlessly woven, uniquely honest visual tapestry. Defly guided by Multi-Award Winning Filmmaker Bob Bryan, GV6 synthesizes One-on-One Poetry Readings, Graphic Iconography, Creative insights, and dramatic poignant Interviews.
The end-result renders a shockingly honest and fascinating snapshot of the Private / Public world of todays' POETS and their oftentimes grossly misunderstood and underappreciated artform POETRY.
Decide for yourself what's going on...but only if you value the complete, raw and unadulterated truth !
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REVIEWS
"Bob Bryan's documentary film, GV6 THE ODYSSEY: Poets, Passion and Poetry is a monumental achievement. 31 poets candidly open their souls ... a cohesive presentation with text, graphics and visual images to produce a stunning film depicting the universality of poetry... Veils of mystery are peeled way exposing the human condition and the efforts and struggles to make sense of the life around us. Poets, writers, artists, teachers, and students will find this film a must-see experience. You will return to it time and again for inspiration, motivation and entertainment."
- A Review by David Fraser , Ascent Aspirations Magazine
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" As an educational tool, GV6 THE ODYSSEY spans the subject thoroughly, covering topics from why poets write and how they write, to how poems work and what makes the art form relevant and necessary. Woven together, Bryan s interviews with all the poets become an in-depth conversation about the meaning of poetry and the meaning of life.
If you teach High School or College English and are afraid to discuss and teach poetry with your students, or if you are not a teacher but know someone who is, order this DVD and give it to them. Thats how I feel about the educational quality of this documentary."
-A Review by Mindy Nettifee, editor-in-chief Getunderground.com
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"Quite simply, as a writer myself, my eyes didn?t leave the screen until the video ended. It was like nothing I had ever seen or had the pleasure of hearing such sound principles before. It?s hard to understand poetry from books or a classroom, but from the poets minds and voices themselves it all makes perfect sense. That is why this is such a great reference tool, because the poets are passionate, the art is real, and today, not from some textbook." -A Review by Chad Myers, Strangeroad.com
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"I find that part relentlessly fascinating, to hear where the writer got his start, what brought him in, what keeps him going... using that opportunity to try adding something onto your own ideas and beliefs. The idea is to get you thinking about sides of poetry you might not have looked at before. GV6 brings out this opportunity brilliantly, offering more perspective than I think I've ever seen gathered in a single place."
-Gabriel Ricard is a Staff Interviewer at Unlikely 2.0
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"The secret life of poetry, poets, and how they think, work and live, is confessed in a candid style that is sometimes funny, sometimes freaky and sometimes thought provoking. It has an educational feel and would be suitable for teenagers." -Jayne Fenton Keane www.poetinresidence.com
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"A cyclone collage of images, words and ideas and of course humor. What poetry is; where it came from and where it may go? If its dead, alive or in transition? How many forms it has; if it needs one in the first place? Does any of it make the slightest difference? This film at times causes tears, reveals hidden hypocrisies, small biting and beautiful glimpses of what may be called "Artistic Truth."
-Jack G Bowman, MA MFT
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"The question arises, who is this movie?s intended audience? One obvious answer is teachers and students. Much of the discussion concerns, directly or indirectly, the teaching of poetry. It would make a great video both for teachers to watch, to get ideas on their teaching, and to show in the classroom...This video would make a very powerful teaching tool, both for stimulating discussions of poetry, and for providing some strong examples of modern poetry. " POETIX REVIEW : by G. Murray Thomas is best known as the editor of Next... Magazine
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"Unlike a lot of documentaries and cinematic treatments of poetry, the discussion was deep and engaging. The poets all had widely different styles and backgrounds, and the overwhelming majority of the poems were excellent. But more important was the discussion of poetry, hearing so many writers talk unguardedly about process, and about the role poetry plays and can play in the their lives and in the world." -Victor D. Infante
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"Bob Bryan make the quick cuts?necessitated by the vast ground that he has to cover?often work to his advantage....Touching on subjects from the personal to the public, the sacred to the profane, touching on elements of culture, family, love, language and self-perception, among others." -Daniel Sendecki, Ahadada Books
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" I'd say educators are sure to find the hope they've sought... to set young pens on fire."
-Deidre Elizabeth, Poetry Editor
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"The DVD is a stimulating film about poetry and the writing process and a great introduction to some lesser known but compelling voices. Yes, it is a sumptuous feast. " -Richard Wilhelm /Ibbetson Update
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"This film is a documentation of the glimpses of this ?poetic world? wherein a poet feels at home, wherein a poet returns, time and again, to evaluate his/her reality. " -Ashok Sharda, Writer
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VIDEO LIBRARIAN - The Video Review Magazine for Libraries
"Both the nature and the power of poetry are the subjects of Bob Bryan?s documentary...GV6 offers a collage of readings, observations, and recollections from 31 poets ? an extremely varied group. Many of the featured poets are also teachers, who speak not only of their own need to write, but also of the positive effects of introducing their students to poetry... the film succeeds in illustrating their passion and commitment. "
--F.Swietek
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LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW (2007)
"If you can buy only one poetry program this year, buy this odyssey of 31 poets who read, rant, and philosophize about what they do. This treasure trove of contemporary poets spans all ages and ethnicitiesjust having them together here is exciting. Each poet is articulate and passionate.
Viewers who already love poetry will be grateful to have so much solid poetry at hand and hear it read so well by its creators. Those new to poetry or unfamiliar with the art will get a gentle and stimulating education.
High school and college students, as well as adults, should respond well to the film as there is so much here to discuss and explore. The bonus features include complete readings. Recommended for all collections. Poetry lives here! "
A Review by Ernest Jaeger, formerly with North Plainfield Pub. Schs., NJ http://www.libraryjournal.com/community/891/Current+Issue/43259.html
MORE GV6 THE ODYSSEY REVIEWS
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GV6 DVD SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES
Wise Words of Encouragement from the Poets
Complete Poetry Reading by the 31 Poets
What is Contextual Poetry by Dr. Thea Iberall, Poet
What is a Chapbook by Brenden Constantine, Poet
Poets Contact Info
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GV6 Internet Resources
BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE GV SERIES 1-6 http://www.graffitiverite.com/GV1-GV5SYNOPSIS.htm
GV6 THE ODYSSEY REVIEWS -(http://graffitiverite.com/GV6FILMREVIEWS.html)
GV6 THE ODYSSEY PRESS RELEASE -(http://graffitiverite.com/GV6PressRelease.html)
GV6 THE ODYSSEY - POETS BIO -(http://graffitiverite.com/GV6PoetBios.html)
Listing of Academic / Educational & Public Libraries that already have the Graffiti Verite' Series
http://www.graffitiverite.com/LIBRARY
GV Authorized Distributors : www.graffitiverite.com/GVAuthorizedDistributors.htm
Fax your Purchase Orders, use PayPal (GV website order), Amazon.com, rent @ Netflix or have your distributor order the complete series for you.
Interested in distributing GV6 THE ODYSSEY: Poets, Passion & Poetry? See contact info below.
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GV6 CONTACT INFO:
Bob Bryan, c/o Bryan World Productions. LLC.,
PO Box 74033
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Tel: 323-856-9256
Fax: 323-856-0855
website: www.graffitiverite.com
email: bryworld@aol.com
This communications is not spam. The purpose of this email is to provide specific professionals working in this area of interest with updated info relative to their professions. Thank you in advance and please feel free to pass on this email to other interested parties. If you've received this email in error, please forgive us we mean no harm. We come in education and peace!
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