With the exception of Bob Marley, no international musician has ever generated more global support and stature as a figure of resistance to dictatorship and tyranny than Afrobeat artist Fela Anikulapo Kuti. His rhythmically magnificent blend of African and black-American musical elements, combined with lyrics that graphically detail the systemic abuses of various Nigerian governments, made him a hero abroad and a mistreated, brutalized and frequently imprisoned and isolated figure in his homeland. This week, screening series International Lens is presenting the epic 2014 documentary Finding Fela, which superbly illuminates the magical sound of Afrobeat and Kuti’s overall impact. The film is a treasure. RON WYNN
International Lens: Finding Fela
