Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre was founded 1980 in Berlin/Germany by Donald Muldrow Griffith and Gayle McKinney together with Lynnda Curry, Ricky Powell and Detlef Bäcker, four American artists and a German colleague, who met in Berlin during 1979 at Theater des Westens and decided to undertake intercultural, interdisciplinary and international productions in dance, theatre, television, workshops, film/video festivals, artistic exhibitions and publications.
Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre is a production, performing, distribution, educational unit and is produced and directed by Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith and Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith, both experienced artists and cultural managers from the U.S.A.
Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre engages people from various national, cultural, ethnic, socio-economic, religious backgrounds, and sexual identities, and works in a variety of artistic and cultural disciplines, with the goal of creating, experiencing and communicating intercultural exchange within its projects and the world community.

 

 

Arezzo 1987


Upon founding in 1980, Berlin/Germany, Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre has presented a variety of international, intercultural and interdisciplinary productions in the areas of dance, theatre, film festivals, television programming, film distribution, publications, seminars, exhibitions, workshops and musical presentations.

One of the productions is the annually presented Black International Cinema Berlin, which was founded by Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre in 1986 in Berlin/Germany and since then, has been produced on a regular basis in Berlin/Germany and other European and US-American cities.

Additionally, Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre produces and directs, upon founding in 1995, the weekly intercultural television magazine program THE COLLEGIUM – Forum & Television Program Berlin, broadcast Mondays from 1-2 a.m., Thursdays from 9-10 a.m. and Saturdays from 9-10 a.m. at Alex - Open Channel Berlin, and furthermore is televised in Magdeburg, Wolfsburg, Dessau, Portland, Oregon/USA, and additional cities.

Furthermore, Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre, under the curation of Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith, produces and directs the photographic exhibition and visual documentation "Footprints in the Sand?" ExhibitionBerlin, which presents a picture of the activities of various people during their historical contributions to Berlin, elsewhere and hence, the portrait seeks to prevent these undertakings from becoming "Footprints in the Sand?".

In 1990 Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre established Cultural Zephyr e.V. as a not for profit organization, which administers the cultural and artistic undertakings of Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre.

 

 

Black Cultural Festival Berlin 1986 - Production and Direction: Fountainhead Tanz Théâtre

 


Black International Cinema Berlin


Black International Cinema Berlin is a yearly interdisciplinary, intercultural film/video festival produced and directed by Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre / THE COLLEGIUM - Forum & Television Program Berlin in association with Cultural Zephyr e.V. and, screens cinema from Africa, the African Diaspora and films from varied intercultural backgrounds or perspectives.
Black International Cinema Berlin originated from the historical Black Cultural Festival, which was produced and directed by Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre from March 3-23, 1986 for the first time in Europe. The contributors were mostly Black artists, filmmakers and intellectuals from Africa and the African Diaspora presenting a spectrum of Black art, Black cinema, Black thinking and life, and through seminars discussing their various political, social and cultural experiences. The festival offered a musical homage based upon the life experience of one of the great tap dancers, Carnell Lyons.
The venues were the Theatermanufaktur am Halleschen Ufer from March 3-16, music – dance – theatre; Hochschule der Künste Berlin on March 11, symposium; Kino Arsenal from March 17-23, film.
Organization and Artistic Direction: Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith (USA/Berlin), Prof. Gayle McKinney Griffith (USA/Berlin), Donald Muldrow McKinney Griffith II (USA/Berlin), Dr. Ntongela Masilela (South Africa); in cooperation with: Prof. Dr. Abdul Alkalimat (USA), Uazuvara Ewald Katjivena (Namibia), Getinet Belay (Ethiopia), Joliba Africa Center; Organization: Erika Gregor (Arsenal Cinema, Germany); Organization Assistance: Annette Koschmieder (Germany).

Since then, Fountainhead® Tanz Théâtre produces and directs the Black International Cinema Berlin each year in Berlin and additionally, in other European and US-American cities.
The festival focuses on presenting works of an artistic, cultural or political nature coinciding with the general educational, social, artistic and economic interest of people from Africa, the African Diaspora and people with an interest in participating in intercultural communication and the resultant interfacing and sharing of educational, social, artistic and economic resources.

Furthermore, Black International Cinema Berlin is open to ALL filmmakers and contributes to better understanding and increasing cooperation between people from various cultural, ethnic, national and religious backgrounds, in order to reduce prejudices and support a peaceful and respectful living together in our multi-faceted society.

 

 

EFFE Label 2019-2021

MOTTOS
"I may not make it if I try, but I damn sure won´t if I don´t..." - Oscar Brown Jr.
"Mankind will either find a way or make one." - C.P. Snow
"Whatever you do..., be cool!" - Joseph Louis Turner
"Yes, I can...!" - Sammy Davis Jr.
"Yes, We can...!" - Barack Hussein Obama
"Yes, we can and Yes, we better...!" - Barack Hussein Obama and Donald Muldrow Griffith

 

Supporters and Associates

 Cultural Zephyr e.V. Prof. Donald Muldrow Griffith Tulipphoto

African Women in Europe    Open Signal - Portland Community Media Centerwave magazine
Brot für die WeltUS Embassy Germany
 United Against Racism35. Black International Cinema Berlin 2020


34. Black International Cinema Berlin 2019