“Beautifully shot...
Intimately depicting life in urban Santo Domingo”

“Unforgettable performances”

“This is truly the heart and soul of Bantú Mama. The bridge Emma builds to Africa through dishes, music, and dances, for three Black Dominican children living on an island that was the ground zero for European colonization and slavery more than five hundred years ago”

“The Power of “Bantú Mama” and the Need for Authentic Afro Caribbean Storytelling in Film”

«A  thoughtful meditation on the diasporic connections between Africa and the Caribbean. »

"The cultural dialogue they create make Bantu Mama unique."

« An emotional and beautiful film experience »
 

« With splendorous cinematography and this fascinating lead, Bantú Mama goes beyond a stereotypical tale of violence experienced by foreign outsiders. It's a song of love about Santo Domingo, a melancholic reverie of maternal affection, love blossoming in times of strife »

« In Bantú Mama directed by Ivan Herrera, diaspora is explored through the intimate, poignant lens of found family »

« We enjoy the sensory, almost textural images of the film: the sky, the water, the graffitied walls of the shantytown, the bodies dancing, and motorbikes circling »

« The film presents a cultural crossover between European and Caribbean Africa, with a celebratory Afrobeat soundtrack and lightly, but credibly sketched, characters.»

« A nuanced take on family ties and cultural roots »

« A drama with a very fast pace, but also incredibly engaging »

« Quando o Caribe, a Europa e a África se encontram »
« When the Caribbean, Europe and Africa meet »

"A wonderful film"

"Una película dominicana hermosamente filmada, y que brilla en donde cuenta. Se sienten las raíces caribeñas de la historia y los personajes de principio a fin. La esperanza es la protagonista aquí, como Clarisse Albrecht, quien co-escribió el guión, lidera el camino con su actuación."

“A vision of the Dominican Republic’s most dangerous neighborhoods that is as lyrical as it is authentic”

“a brief display of joyful magical realism encapsulates the film’s subtle thesis of diasporic kinship”

“A poignant meditations on survival, the diaspora experience, and family, both biological and found”

“'Bantú Mama' es cine poderoso, lleno de códigos que pinta un cinema criollo de muy buena voluntad, (...)es el que lleva el compromiso de encontrar en la propia realidad, los matices adecuados para dejar ver historias profundas y reveladoras.”

« Hay un aliento en la película que resulta casi inevitable, aunque por supuesto es lógico y coherente, la de la nostalgia por el origen de la raza negra »

« la voluntad de un film que se propone romper espacio y tiempo, prodigando con mucha calidad y constantes y hermosos planos cerrados, una poesía concreta, una deriva acompañada de partitura sintética »

Director's Notes Top 20 Filmmaker Conversations of 2021

« Uneasy yet hopeful, Bantú Mama refreshingly tells us a story through Afro-European and Afro-Caribbean eyes. From start to finish, we have an excellent film that pulls you in and astounds you.»

« In their own way, each character transcends the negative stereotypes they usually carry in the hood folklore. »

« Bantú Mama ou comment humaniser le "hood folklore »

« This surprisingly heartfelt and thoughtful film draws the audience in through compelling methods »

« A nuanced take on family ties and cultural roots »

« Herrera’s exploration of the African diaspora in Bantú Mama does ask questions about identity, family, and the meaning of home which truly resonate »

« Africa Meets The Caribbean And An Accidental Family Is Born »

“Bantú Mama” is a beautiful tale of friendship that teaches children and adult the importance of being co-dependent or being in charge of something bigger than yourself"

"beautifully photographed, immersive narrative that is full of understated, yet powerful, performances"

“A powerful film marking both Albrecht and Herrera as talents to watch.”

“An elegant synthesis of geography and identity...
Artfully told and tenderly performed.
A very solid film.”

«Every shot is meticulous and every emotion vibrant»

« A soul-stirring and tender ode to the Black diaspora set in Santo Domingo »

« Hererra and Albrecht’s exploration of culture drives us towards considering happiness from within ourselves and our cultures, and the setting within the Dominican Republic acted as gateway to this marvellous moment of appreciation from the film, and a hopeful moment of discovery for audiences.»

Lo Mejor del Ciné Iberoamericano por 2022

« Cultura preta, maternidade
e força »

« A very personal and cinematographically gorgeous film, that fits perfectly within the narrative of newfound homes. »

« Bantú Mama is a whimsical and compelling portrait of a women whose life has taken an unexpected turn for the worse. »

« An expression telling a thousand words. Bantú Mama is a all about second chances.
It’s pacing and minimalism will not be for some, but it’s a finely crafted character study.»

« Director Ivan Herrera has crafted a complex, yet endearing story of survival, cultural similarities and differences in a world laden with contraction »

« Reyes tiene una presencia cautivadora »
« Reyes has a captivating presence »

« BANTÚ MAMA is an enriching delight that will make you embrace your loved ones tighter »

« A sweet tale of redemption and finding a new purpose in life, with colorful performances, endearing directing and astounding cinematography »

« a film almost tribute to the Dominican people, to the colors, to the energy, to the place, but above all to the  « being African »

"A competent and touching film overall and one allowing me to connect back with the art of my parents and ancestors."