Ilu Roda
“Ilu Roda” is a music film and multi-disciplinary art project following a man on an other-worldly journey through space and time.
Synopsis:
Our protagonist Avila is an afro-brazilian & ashkenazi jewish percussionist and capoeirista from the westside of Los Angeles. Through a series of unusual events Avila finds himself in a quirky, surreal and spiritual rites of passage through space and time. In this journey Avila learns the origin story of the universe & travels through a circular sequence of encounters with his family and friends, his higher self, its spirit companions & his multi-cultural ancestors. Each portal passed through is accompanied by an original song, choreographed movement and a conceptual theme.
Why Ilu?
Both the drum and the act of drumming are foundational to my identity. Since before I can remember I have gravitated towards rhythm. My father is a drummer initiated into Candomblé in Salvador da Bahia, Brasil where the drum is omnipresent. I am initiated as an AWO of IFA, and in a Yoruba context, people with my type of relationship to the drum are seen as having a connection to Ayan Agalu ( The Spirit of the Drum). I am fascinated by the ways that drums function during prayer in an Afro-Diasporic context. I was the kid in school tapping on tables in class , and I keep that playful approach to my creative process even now. I am interested in the highlighting the ways that the drum uniquely connects me to storytelling, to my body, spirit and ancestors.
Why Roda?
I grew up in a Capoeira family, so some of my first introductions to community were in the Capoeira roda. Some of you may have seen my father in the blockbuster movie “Only The Strong”. I am interested in continuing the legacy of archiving Capoeira on film. The capoeira roda is where music, movement, storytelling and ,ultimately people, meet. Many people understand the Roda to be a circle but it is also translated to “wheel”. In this film “Roda” becomes a metaphor for circular time.
Inspiration:
How do we use indigenous knowledge to shape and find spiritual wholeness? Lastly I hope for the work to help in the destigmatization of said indigenous cultures. I am influenced by the convergence points between my multicultural ancestry and contemporary life as a first generation american black man. Afro - Surrealism, Diasporic Archiving, Hip Hop, Comedy , Ecological Sound, Environmentalism, Social Justice, and Epigenetics are practices and movements that emerge in my work. “Ilu Roda” draws inspiration from indigenous understandings of non linear time. These understanding include the Yoruba system of divination called Dafa, the Jewish Sefirot, the Kongo Yowa , the Indigenous South American Caboclo and Afro-Brazilian Capoeira . These systems all hold a particular and personal significance to me ancestrally and practically by connecting to my paternal and maternal cultures. In these spaces, time is non-linear and messages from the past, present, future, earth and heaven are accessible. I intend to center this knowledge in order to broaden the collective’s experiential lexicon of indigenous storytelling.
My hope is to increase the collective’s understanding of the many iterations of blackness that exist worldwide through this multi lingual black story. In “Ilu Roda” we cross through Portuguese, English, Spanish, Yiddish, Hebrew, Yoruba, Lingala and more.
“Ilu Roda” will attempt to weave my seemingly disparate cultural and spiritual practices of Isese/Candomblé/Capoeira/Judaism into coexistence, while honoring both their harmony and dissonance. I am excited to seeing what emerges from integrating these parts of myself. I have never experienced a story guided by the beliefs and knowledges of my particularly unique diverse cultural makeup. This project will also mark my directorial and screenwriting debut, all while integrating my musical background and spiritual studies. This I am very excited about.
What will “Ilu Roda” sound like
The sonic makeup of “Ilu Roda” is rooted in the drum (ILU). My interest with this project is to centralize acoustic instruments, lyrics and the voice to make spirit-filled and alive music that encourages mindfulness and awareness. I am rhythmically tuning and writing the songs in “Ilu Roda” to optimize movement and dance. Expect to hear elements of Hip Hop, Afro-Diasporic Drumming, West African Highlife and many more. Check out this original instrumental example by clicking the link below. I wrote, performed and mixed this track which appears on episode one of Random Acts of Flyness on HBO.
“Ilu Roda” Clothing
A portion of this multi-media project will involve the creation of clothing that weave into the tapestry of the story. My maternal ancestors in Poland worked in the textile industry and my paternal grandmother makes shiny dresses out of soda can lids and found objects. It is clear to me that these sensibilities for fashion and wearable art run in my veins.
I have successfully sold out two runs of T-Shirt designs over the last five years. Both of which drew inspiration from my ancestral and cultural upbringing.
Funds from this campaign will go towards the production of the “Ilu Roda” clothing line drop that I am designing with the help of my good friends at Tiempo De Zafra in Santo Domingo, DR. Check out the sneak peak of the unique silhouette of these brown pants that we are developing.
“Ilu Roda” Book
I believe in the power and tactility of well made books. The art of writing and archiving photos around the creation and inspiration process of this body of work will make a unique and intimate memento for audiences. I have set a side a portion of the fundraising of this project to go towards the making of the Ilu Roda hardcover book.
Why is funding this project important?
I think it is important for folks to experience a multi-lingual black story. My hope is that this will increase the collective’s understanding of the many iterations of blackness and indigeneity that exist worldwide. In this story we linguistically thread through Portuguese, English, Spanish, Yiddish, Hebrew, Yoruba, Lingala and more.
There are opportunities to expand the story into an animated, feature length or television series.
Interested in supporting the creation of “Ilu Roda”?
If you want to learn more about the script, music, or ask more questions about being a part of this project, send me an email at avilasanto@gmail.com
Project Budget
Sound
Live & Sound Recording, Editing and Engineering ($2000)
Video and Visual
Videographer, Editing ($3000)
Set Design & Installation
Cartage, Set Design ($1000)
Travel
Flights and ground travel ($5000)
Room and Board ($5000)
Marketing
Graphic Design, Writing, Festival Submissions ($2000)
Clothing
Production of limited run Ilu Roda first Season clothing line ($2000)
Book
Creation and production of a small run of hardcover book covering the concepts and world building of Ilu Roda ($2000)
Donations
501C3 Tax deductible donations & Sponsorships (email avilasanto@gmail.com for more info)
Personal Online Donations
Cashapp : $avilasanto
Mood Board
About Avila Santo
I am a music based artist at the intersection of time based media, martial art, writing, movement, spirituality and indigenous thought . My multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural upbringing inform my creative world building. I am a percussionist who uses a variety of drums & rhythms as the foundation for my composition and storytelling practice. My influences are rooted in the rich diversity of my diasporic identity and in my lived experience as a global citizen born and raised in Los Angeles, California.
