Emmanuel Akanbi

Emmanuel Akanbi is one of the founders of Antler River Media Co-operative and serves as a board member and Coordinating Editor for the outlet. As trained epidemiologist by day, he is very invested in the advancement of the public healthcare system and contributing to healthcare research. Outside of writing, he loves animation, film, smart comedies, and learning about different organizing histories. You can contact him at akanbi.e@proton.me.

Artists Against Artwashing calls out Scotiabank investments in Israeli military tech at TIFF

On September 6, a paper mache head of Scotiabank’s portfolio manager David Fingold was paraded in front of the Scotiabank theatre during TIFF rush hour. The grand mache-Fingold had marionette hands carrying a large cheque with red paint dripping from the top, signed for $300,000,000 USD  addressed to Israel. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) demonstration, organized by the No Arms in the Arts coalition, drew crowds of festival-goers to stop and take photographs, as well as a hefty police presence. “We are protesting Scotiabank’s stake in Elbit Systems,” said demonstrator Mitra Fakrashrafi, in an interview with Antler River Media.…

Read MoreArtists Against Artwashing calls out Scotiabank investments in Israeli military tech at TIFF

The republic, the regime and you: Eagles of the Republic Review

Propaganda is everywhere. Whether it’s promoting social values, or uplifting (or disparaging) political figures, there are oceans of propaganda curated to shape how we see and interact with the world around us. Dangerous as it is, no one is immune to propaganda — and a world of trouble exists for those who might be forced to create it.  In the third film of his Cairo-set film series, Swedish-Egyptian director Tarek Saleh takes on the world of Egyptian propaganda films, with a daring peek into the life of actors under the current el-Sisi regime in Egypt. The film, which premiered at…

Read MoreThe republic, the regime and you: Eagles of the Republic Review

Heartbreak after heartbreak intensifies in Hasan Hadi’s The President’s Cake

The President’s Cake joins my list of child-starring international features that I stand firmly behind.  The film captures what it is like to live under an authoritarian regime through the innocence of a young girl, as she struggles to do what the regime asks of her — bake a cake for Saddam Hussein’s birthday. Set in 1990s Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s rule, Hasan Hadi’s directorial debut follows nine-year-old Lamia (played by Baneen Ahmed Nayyef), a schoolgirl living in poverty in the Iraqi marshes under the care of her grandmother, whom she calls Bibi (played by Waheed Thabet) as the two…

Read MoreHeartbreak after heartbreak intensifies in Hasan Hadi’s The President’s Cake

“To be yourself, in a way, is to be generous”: In conversation with Spanish director Ulises Porra, director of Under the Same Sun

Discussions of freedom really ought to start with the first slave rebellions in the world, and as such they need to start in Haiti. There is a whole world of stories to explore regarding the Haitian revolution, how it began, the inspiration it became for other colonized states, the fight against the French-imposed tax to be free. But an interesting story, and one I frankly have never before considered, is the change in the relationship between the formerly French-controlled Haiti and the then-Spanish colony of the Dominican Republic. The two states shared the island of Hispaniola, and following independence, the…

Read More“To be yourself, in a way, is to be generous”: In conversation with Spanish director Ulises Porra, director of Under the Same Sun

OPSEU rally brings workers together in fight for public education

More than 100 community members and education workers joined Fanshawe support staff workers on their picket line in front of the college Friday, as the union’s strike ended its first week. Fanshawe College’s over 650 full-time support staff, who are represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 109 have been on strike since Sept. 11. The local joins more than 10,000 full-time college support staff across the province in striking for job security measures, an increase to provincial funding in the sector, and to ensure benefits cover things like dental and hearing services.  On Friday, the union…

Read MoreOPSEU rally brings workers together in fight for public education

Can’t we all be free Under The Same Sun?

Historical fictions breathe the stories of the old world. The ability to tell a story of how something might have come to be, a story which likely has been told for centuries is a wonder to behold. We’ve been telling stories forever, we’ve been writing them for a blip in that time, and we’ve been filming them for the tiniest fraction of that blip — leaving an infinite amount of time to film stories we’ve never seen. Spanish writer/director Ulises Porra’s Under The Same Sun is one such historical fiction that tells a beautiful story of how something came to…

Read MoreCan’t we all be free Under The Same Sun?

Zain Duraie’s Sink is as honest as it is heartbreaking

Zain Duraie’s Sink is the right amount of devastating. One of my favourites of the festival, the film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last week. There is no shortage of films that cover mental illness in the modern context. Predominantly American or European, there are dozens if not hundreds of projects that show the sadness, the stigma, and the need for community support when dealing with mental health issues. Still, few films expertly portray an earnest perspective of the emotions involved outside of the melodrama frequently depicted. To truly succeed in portraying mental illness requires…

Read MoreZain Duraie’s Sink is as honest as it is heartbreaking

Seemab Gul’s Ghost School is an outstanding debut feature

With gorgeous cinematography and keen direction from director Seemab Gul’s debut feature, Ghost School shows remarkable strength and film-making talent. The Urdu-language feature, which premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, follows the journey of 10-year old Rabia (an outstanding performance from child actress Nazualiya Arsalan) who undertakes the journey of uncovering the mystery behind “ghost school” phenomenon in Pakistan after her school is abruptly shut down. The exploration takes place through the pure and curious lens of a young girl who above-all wants to go back to school. Ghost schools are institutions that exist on paper, or…

Read MoreSeemab Gul’s Ghost School is an outstanding debut feature

“Rodent feces, roach infestations, holes”: London ACORN holds gallery at Walnut Street building

Yesterday, more than 20 London ACORN and community members held a gallery demonstration in front of London Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH)’s 85 Walnut Street apartment building. The event aimed to raise awareness regarding the safety and conditions of units in LMCH, which ranked second in London ACORN’s “Slumlord awards” last month. “There are a lot of issues going on at London housing buildings,” said Sharon Villeneuve, an ACORN member and resident at 85 Walnut Street. “A lot of pest control issues, maintenance issues, safety issues, and they’re not being addressed.” “They’re refusing to have meetings that we have requested. That’s…

Read More“Rodent feces, roach infestations, holes”: London ACORN holds gallery at Walnut Street building

“Do not forget Gaza”: Londoners hold emergency protest for journalists murdered by Israel

More than 220 Londoners gathered in front of city hall on Monday in an emergency protest for journalists in Gaza assassinated by Israeli forces.  This protest was organized by the Canadian Palestinian Social Association (CPSA) in response to the Israeli Defense Forces’ targeted assassination of an Al Jazeera crew in a media tent outside of al-Shifa hospital. Among the deceased were journalists Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed al-Khaldi and Mohammed Qreiqeh, as well as camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa. “We are joining a coalition of millions upon millions of people who are saying with a very loud and…

Read More“Do not forget Gaza”: Londoners hold emergency protest for journalists murdered by Israel