An Evening with 'Sam, a Saxon'

In collaboration with the Black German Heritage and Research Association (BGHRA), the German Embassy, and Fremantle-backed Big Window Productions, the UIC Department of Germanic Studies and the Goethe-Institut Chicago welcome you to join us for an evening with members of the cast and crew of Disney+ and Hulu's new hit series Sam, a Saxon / Sam, ein Sachse, which is based on the incredible true story of Samuel Njankouo Meffire, East Germany’s first Black policeman. The series is significant for its representation of Black German and BIPOC cast and crew, and has been a touch point for discussions around race and representation in the German TV and media industry at large. 
REGISTER HERE Following a reception and screening of two episodes of Sam - A Saxon, seven members of the cast and crew will be in discussion about the show. Our guests include: Malick Bauer (plays Samuel Meffire), Ivy Quainoo (plays Jenny; is also known for winning Germany's version of The Voice in 2012), Paula Essam (plays Sabine), Tyron Ricketts (plays Alex, co-producer / -showrunner / -head writer), Jörg Winger (co-producer / -showrunner / -head writer), Chris Silber (co-producer / -showrunner / -head writer) and Samuel Meffire, whose life is the basis for the show. The panel will be moderated by Steve Bynum, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion manager for Chicago Public Media, the parent company of WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times.  
 
The seven-part series follows “Sam” (Malick Bauer) who joins the police force after his father’s murder. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, he becomes the face of an anti-racism campaign and a media sensation, catapulting him into a newly formed police squad with the mission to squash the rising tide of neo-Nazis in the post-communist East. His fame and success as a Nazi-hunter is not appreciated by everyone. His journey takes a dark turn, and he eventually finds himself framed as an internationally wanted criminal and branded Germany’s ‘public enemy number one’.

Through Sam's eyes, the series allows audiences to experience his fight for recognition, justice, and a place he can call home in the wild years following German reunification.

The discussion will also be livestreamed on the Goethe-Institut Chicago YouTube channel starting at 8:15pm CST.


Program
6:00pm CST: Event begins
6:15pm CST: Screening of Sam, a Saxon: Episode 1 (in-person only)
7:00pm CST: Screening of Sam, a Saxon: Episode 3, with Episode 2 bridge (in-person only)
8:15pm CST: Panel Discussion with cast and crew (in-person and livestreamed via YouTube)


While free, tickets for the in-person event are required (and limited), so be sure to reserve them in advance. A photo ID is required to facilitate check-in. 
 
This event is produced in partnership with: UIC Minor in Moving Image Arts, UIC School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics, UIC Department of English, UIC Institute for the Humanities, UIC Black Studies, UIC School of Theater and Music, UIC Honors College, UIC Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, Northwestern University Department of German, University of Chicago Germanic Studies, University of Chicago Cinema and Media Studies, DePaul University German, DePaul University Black and African Diaspora Studies, and DePaul University Criminology.