Films
NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU
SYNOPSIS
Viviane is a neurotic, struggling actress given to childish flights of fancy. Kazembe, her actor ex-boyfriend, had been the only constant in her life for the past four years until their recent breakup. On a whim, V decides to move to Los Angeles to revive her dwindling career. She thinks she can just skip out of town, until her best friend Sophie plans a surprise party and invites Kazembe.
New York, I Love You takes us on Viviane’s journey through love, loss, and goodbyes in snapshots of a dying relationship set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most beloved cities. But can Viviane really leave New York and Kazembe, the love of her life, behind?
CAST
MAAMEYAA BOAFO
MOHAMED DIONE
ZAINAB JAH
CREW
Writer/Director: IQUO B. ESSIEN
Director of Photography: DANIELLE LESSOVITZ
Producer: BELYNDA HARDIN
Assistant Director: PAMELA MORIARTY
Editors: XAVIER COLEMAN, IQUO B. ESSIEN
Sound Designer: DAVID GRINBAUM
Music: WEIWEI MIAO, IKOTU
Full Cast and Crew info on IMDB
About The Film
New York, I Love You premiered to two sold-out audiences Saturday, April 23-24, 2016 at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s New Voices in Black Cinema Festival, followed by a post-screening Q&A.
Thanks to ActNow Foundation, Tambay A Obenson, Martin Majeske, the volunteers, and two great audiences who helped make the screenings possible; and NYILU cast and crew MaameYaa Boafo & Belynda Hardin, who joined the director for the Q&A.
The film later screened to a sold-out audience at the 23rd NY African Film Festival (NYAFF) at Lincoln Center. Watch a clip of the NBC New York interview of writer/director Iquo B. Essien with NYAFF Director Mahen Bonetti.
Scroll down for the director’s Q&A on the story, music, and inspiration for the film, published along with the film’s screening in the 2016 Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival in Lagos, Nigeria.
DIRECTOR’S Q&A
What role does music play in this movie? Could you speak about the soundtrack?
Music plays a large narrative role in New York, I Love You, given that much of the film is a montage of memories. I found most of the songs online, highlighting the main character’s African heritage and global cultural influences.
The soundtrack list by song is:
- La Mignoncité, by Guy Watson (Cameroon)
- Le Malin, by Le Pouvoir (Burkina Faso)
- Mu (Downtown Atlantis), by Tony Dubshot (Netherlands)
- Outro Dia, by Diogo Cadaval (Brazil)
- IIII, by Ikotu (Scotland)
- Original score, by Weiwei Miao (China/NYC)
On a deeper level, the soundtrack reflects my own experiences as a Nigerian-American who grew up dancing to and performing traditional Ibibio music, studying classical piano and violin, and listening to a range of music from afrobeat to jazz, coupé-décalé, and bossa nova.
