Sam Nunn School of International Affairs Professor Kirk Bowman and Jon Wilcox (sponsor of Dr. Bowman’s Chair) presented their film, Bad’ & the Birdieman, at the 41st Atlanta Film Festival on Saturday March 25 to a full and enthusiastic audience. This film tells the story of innovation, leadership, community building, and sports and development in a favela in Rio de Janeiro (see www.badbirdiemanmovie.com). 

Bowman joined the Nunn School in 1998. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in comparative politics, Latin American politics, and soccer and global politics, and he has directed study abroad programs in Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay. He has published three books and has received research support from the National Institutes of Health, the Ford Foundation, and the Social Science Research Council, among others.

In addition, Bowman is the co-founder and director of Rise Up and Care, an international nongovernmental organization that combines global development research, high-level performance organizations in the global south to transform youth, and documentary films by top local directors. In August 2016, he co-produced five feature documentary films, including Bad’ & the Birdieman.