Published on 05/25/2008

The short dramatic film "The Barber of Kigali" written and directed by Jamie Cohen with the music composed by Nenad Bach, will play at the prestigious Boston International Film Festival on Friday June 6th, 2008 at the AMC/Loews Theater at 6:30 pm. The theater is located at 175 Tremont St in Boston, MA. USA

Jamie Cohen and Nenad Bach at the Boston International Film Festival

"The Barber of Kigali" screens at The Boston International Film Festival on June 6th. This is a letter proudly announcing that my short dramatic film, "The Barber of Kigali, (Drama, 7 minutes) which I wrote and directed with the music composed by my good friend Nenad Bach, will play at the Boston International Film Festival on Friday June 6th, 2008 at the AMC/Loews Theater at 6:00 pm. The theater is located at 175 Tremont St in Boston, MA. The Boston International Film Festival is the largest International Film Festival in Massachusetts and one of the largest in the United States. My film is one of 100 films from around the world selected from over 2,500 entries. To see a trailer for my film, please go to: www.integrity-films.com. You can show your support by attending the screening in Boston. Hope to see you there!

Jamie Cohen, Ryan Ellis, Lucky Ejib, Francis Heaney and Bayo Akinfemi

Jamie Cohen directing the next scene in the barbershop

Students Moved to Tears

The idea of the film came to me after listening to a young Rwandan Genocide survivor's story of survival. I invited Patrick, a friend of a friend, now a recently graduated student from the University of Toronto, to speak to the high school class I was teaching. Patrick recalled his harrowing escape into the jungle from his father's murderers. He also spoke of immigrating to Canada as a teenaged refugee with no family, no money, and without speaking a word of english. Many students were moved to tears.

3 Sleepless Nights

"The Barber of Kigali" was shot over 3 consecutive nights (from 7 pm to 4 am) in a real barbershop in Scarborough, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto.

Jamie Cohen directing "Chance" in 2006

In 1999, I joined Saturday Night Live Films after calling Lorne Michaels' office twenty five times before he returned my call. One year later, I was working in New York at the Broadway Video offices located in Times Square. My previous films include, "Chance", a short drama about a law student with a poker addiction, and "School'd", a short documentary about one day in the life of a teenaged gang member.

This marks my second collaboration with Nenad, after first meeting each other eight years ago backstage at a live taping of Saturday Night Live. Our first time working together was on a sports-T.V. biography on Canadian NBA star, Jamaal Magloire, for Sportsnet that I directed and he composed the music for.

Jamie Cohen organized the first-of-its-kind Student Film Festival in Malaysia in 2006

Nenad Bach and Jamie Cohen live via webcast New York, USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Nov 2006

In 2006, I worked for a semester as a guest lecturer at Taylor's University College in Malaysia. My students recorded original human rights songs and performed them live for Nenad Bach, at his recording studio in Croton on Hudson, New York. Nenad then played the students a song from his new CD "Everything is Forever" and talked with the students about his experiences in creating music that raises awareness for humanitarian causes. Professor Darko ®ubriniæ, based at the University of Zagreb, Croatia stayed up all night to match timezones in order to speak with the students about modern Croatian history.

Icon of prof.dr. Darko ®ubriniæ, over Skype, Zagreb, Croatia - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - New York, USA

My next project is a feature dramatic film called "Mr.B." about Timmins Bissonnette a womanizing, colorful carnival and nightclub owner who guns down his childhood best friend in the lobby of the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, and spends his seventeen year prison sentence in Canada's harshest jails raising money for dying children. Production begins in July in Toronto, Ontario. This production still has some intriguing roles available for talented actors and intends to attract $400,000 more to complete production. I have hired Nenad Bach to compose some songs for the film.

For those interested in learning more about my upcoming projects or who may be interested in participating in investing in one of my socially conscious, dramatic feature film productions, please e-mail me at jcohen@integrity-films.com.

Wishing CROWN and Croatians worldwide continued success,

Jamie Cohen

Boston International Film Festival

SESSION 1
Friday, June 6, 6:00pm – 6:50pm

ROAD TO INGWAVUMA (ing-wah-VOOM-ah)- 35min
The extraordinary journey to the heart of post-apartheid South Africa by a
delegation of some of America's most respected stage, screen, and music
artists and their families. With Carlos Santana, Samuel L. Jackson,
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Alfre Woodard, CCH Pounder and Artists
for a New South Africa. Special appearances by Former President
Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other giants in South
Africa's fight for freedom and the war on HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty.
Writer, Director, Producer: Barbara Rick
Writer, Narrator, and Executive Producer:
Deborah Santana

7:00pm – 9:00pm
Think (Live Earth)– 3 min
What does it take to change a habit? In this film BAFTA nominated director,
Rupert Jones, takes a farcical look at an everyday situation, where planning
ahead can make an impact, not just on the environment, but on relationships with
your grocer. Even though using a different plastic bag every time you visit your
grocery store might be a little more convenient for you, reducing the amount of
plastic bags you use is a lot better for the environment
Filmmaker: Rupert Jones

The Barber of Kigali – 5 min
Inspired by true events, 'The Barber of Kigali', is a dramatic short film about
Patrick, a Rwandan barber living in Toronto, who must decide whether to kill or
not to kill his next client, the dreaded Colonel who murdered his father in the
genocide. 'What would you do if you had the chance to kill your father's
murderer? He who seeks revenge, will be destroyed by it. 'The Barber of Kigali' is
inspired by the true story of Patrick, a 24 year-old Rwandan man studying Political
Science at the University of Toronto. The lead character, Bayo Akinfemi, won the
nomination for 'Best Performance by an Actor' at the Gemini Awards (Canadian
TV Awards) for his starring role in the Canadian TV Miniseries, 'Human Cargo'.

Director, Writer: Jamie Cohen
Producer: Ryan Ellis
Music: Nenad Bach

http://www.bifilmfestival.com/008session1.html

Near – 5 min
Near: an illustration of how travel can open our mind further than the actual
distance journeyed. Quiet, mundane contemplation turns into a trip to the
opposite end of the earth. A surreal breakdown of geographic space propels a
dauntless traveler on until he's ready to leap into anything. Photography,
drawings and animation are tightly integrated. Every frame is literally a push
toward a new environment. Cesaria Evora provided the soundtrack. Lyrics are
sung in Cape Verde Creole, and do not constitute any kind of dialog. For non
Creole and French speakers, the music ads an appropriately exotic beauty. The
sound alone achieves the desired effect.
Director: John Lane

Light Years – 15min
Four relationships spanning the four corners of the globe are put to the ultimate
test when they learn the world may end in eight minutes - the duration of time it
takes light to travel from the sun to the Earth. Each is finally forced to confront the
most trying dynamics of their relationship in order to reconcile differences and
face Earth’s final moments: with love and without fear; but, most importantly,
together.
Director, Writer: Richard Martin
Producer: Melissa Lee
Writer: Josh Calvert

This is Not a Test – 89 min
Carl and Viv Ashby are ready to start a family, but the thought of being
responsible for an innocent child in our dangerous modern world sends Carl on a
journey of over-preparation. Under the influence of the similarly obsessed Tom
Arnold, Carl allows his fear to fracture his marriage. However, when Los Angeles
is threatened with a real terrorist attack,
Carl learns what it truly means to be prepared.
Writer, Director, Producer: Christopher Angel
Producer: Eric Hayes, Hill Harper.

Opening Night Gala: 9:30pm – 12:00pm