THROW DOWN YOUR HEART

(USA, 2008, 97 Minutes)
Bambara, English, French, Jola, Swahili with English subtitles
East Coast Premiere

AFI SILVERDOCS Music Documentary Winner

DIR: Sascha Paladino

For many, the banjo conjures images of towns in Alabama where, as the folk song goes, men serenade women named Susannah with banjos on their knees. When others think of the banjo, their minds go immediately to banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck. THROW DOWN YOUR HEART is the result of Bela Fleck's curiosity about the origins of this beloved instrument.

Directed by emerging auteur Sascha Paladino (who is also Fleck's younger brother), THROW DOWN YOUR HEART is Fleck's enthralling journey through Uganda, Tanzania, The Gambia, and Mali to uncover the roots of the instrument that is now regarded as quintessentially American.

A multiple Grammy-winner for jazz, bluegrass and classical recordings, Fleck suddenly finds himself a wide-eyed novice in nations where the instrument may be fundamentally the same, but the language and rhythm of the music are essentially different. Fleck encounters a dizzying array of musicians who vary in skill and prestige, from superstars like the Malian diva Oumou Sangare, to humble families that make and play their own makeshift banjo, to one who has mastered a 12-foot xylophone.

As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once remarked, "Music is the universal language of mankind," which rings true for Fleck and his African counterparts. Although they might not find common words, their profound and spontaneous duets speak volumes about music's ability to connect people across superficial divides. THROW DOWN YOUR HEART is an enchanting and ecstatic celebration of music, and indeed makes you want to throw down your heart, get up and dance.

Biography
Sascha Paladino is a filmmaker and writer. His documentary short, "Obstinato: Making Music for Two" (2004), about the musicians Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer, premiered at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, won the Best Documentary Short Award at the Woodstock Film Festival, the Audience Award at the Newport Film Festival, played at the Full Frame Film Festival and Nashville Film Festival, and was released on DVD by Sony Classical.

Sascha is also an Emmy-nominated writer and producer for children's television. He is head writer and producer of "Ni Hao, Kai-lan" on Nick Jr, and has written for programs including "Wonder Pets," "Blue's Clues," "ToddWorld," and many others. He has worked for companies including Nickelodeon, The Discovery Channel, Disney, Noggin, the BBC, and Granada UK. Sascha is also involved in many facets of arts education, and has taught and developed workshops for arts organizations, public schools and prisons.

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