"We Were Here" Film Screening + Talk with Filmmaker Fred Kudjo Kuwornu

Join us for refreshments, a screening and Q&A!

We Were Here - The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe by filmmaker Fred Kudjo Kuwornu sheds light on the overlooked presence of African and Black individuals in Renaissance Europe, highlighting their depiction in masterpieces by some of the era’s most celebrated artists. How did they come to Europe? Why were they portrayed? Were they truly all servants or slaves? If the Black faces portrayed in these Renaissance masterpieces could speak, what would they tell us?

Kuwornu is an Afro-Italian and U.S. multi-hyphenate socially engaged artist, filmmaker and scholar based in New York. His work bridges past and present, exploring identity and race through historical remixing of archival materials. Kuwornu's films have been exhibited at the 60ᵗʰ VeniceArt Biennale (2024), Museum of Moving Image (NY), Library of Congress, and international film festivals.

Schedule:

• 5:00 PM: Refreshments in lobby
• 5:30 PM: Event introductions
• 5:45 PM: Film screening starts
• 6:45 PM: Q&A
• 7:30 PM: Event ends

>>>>>PLEASE RSVP<<<<

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Questions? Reach out at [email protected]

Cosponsored by the Black Studies Project, Italian Studies, European Studies, and the Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts as a part of the Black Europe Series and Black History Month 2025 at UC San Diego.

Images courtesy of the filmmaker. Featured is the official We Were Here film poster, a filtered copy of a kitchen maid still by Diego Velazquez, and a photo of Kuwornu at the Venice Biennale.

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EVENT DETAILS:

• TICKETS: This event is open to the community. Please RSVP!

By registering for this event you agree to receive future correspondence from the Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts, from which you can unsubscribe at any time.

• LOCATION: The event will be on the UC San Diego campus in the Mosaic Hall lobby and auditorium #113, located within the North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Niehgborhood, in Sixth College. The venue neighbors the Jeannie Hall and is below the Craft Center, with the entrance open to the quad and signage above the entrance reading ""

• PARKING: Nearby parking is available in the , located directly below Mosaic Hall. Please note that all parking at UC San Diego requires a purchased permit. View more parking permit information >>

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ABOUT THE CENTER:

The Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts, part of the School of Arts and Humanities, serves as the university’s hub for creative and academic advancement in culture, music, theater, film and the arts. The center provides access and opportunity for UC San Diego students and scholars to pursue their passion in cinematics arts through research, scholarship, teaching, production and exhibition of film and moving-image arts. Established in 2021, the program honors the memory of aspiring filmmaker Suraj Israni, who pursued film as a way to inspire social change.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

UC San Diego, Mosaic Bldg #113, 9605 Scholars Drive North, San Diego, United States