In partnership with Pathé Cinemas in Nice and the Label’Karaïb association, the city of Nice is offering a “Citizens’ Session for Equality” on Thursday, May 11 at 1:45 PM, at the Gare du Sud. Centered around the screening of the horror film “Antebellum,” viewers are invited to reflect on the topics of trafficking and slavery.
The national day of remembrance for trafficking, slavery, and their abolition has been held on May 10 each year since 2006 in mainland France. This date commemorates the adoption of the Taubira law in 2001. “Concerned with the duty of remembrance and education for equality,” Nice has chosen to address this day with a film debate. It is an active, committed, and participatory way to honor and reflect on the sufferings caused by slavery. It is also an opportunity to discuss its various abolitions in human history and on a global scale.
The reflection support of the day is the anti-racist thriller titled Antebellum. Directed by American filmmakers Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, it was released in theaters in 2020. It resonated particularly with current events following the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests against racism and police violence worldwide. Veronica Henley, a successful author portrayed by actress and singer Janelle Monáe, finds herself trapped in a dreadful world. To escape, she must unravel its mysteries. In doing so, she will have to confront her past, present, and future.
Stories and Conferences
The film is screened at 2 PM, at the Pathé Gare du Sud cinema. The screening will be preceded by an artistic introduction by the African storyteller Modibo. Therefore, the public is expected starting from 1:15 PM. The director of Pathé Cinemas, Savanna Samokine, as well as Maty Diouf, deputy delegated to fighting discrimination, women’s rights, and humanitarian actions will welcome the audience. A representative from the Rectorate of Nice will also be present.
Two conferences follow the screening. Jean-Marc Giaume, an aide to Christian Estrosi, dedicated to Scientific Culture and the Natural History Museum, will host a session at 4 PM titled: “The Meeting Between Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor, Pioneers of Recognizing a Cultural Identity.”
Then, at 4:30 PM, Arnaud Bartolomei, a lecturer in modern and contemporary history at Université Côte d’Azur will present. In three parts, he will revisit trafficking and slavery, from history to memory. He begins with The History of the Atlantic Slave Trade and the Enslavement System, followed by Racism, Discrimination, and Social Inequalities: The Contemporary Legacy of the Slavery System. To conclude, he has chosen to address the memorial issues of trafficking and slavery for current societies.
