#bwfmgsu2020

[sunrayrooblr]

Eve’s Bayou

This film is phenomenal! We follow a black family in New Orleans, focusing on the youngest daughter Eve, who has the power of sight. This film is a lot like Julie Dash’s Illusions, where the story is centered around black people, but not their relationship with white America, rather themselves. The conflict of this family all exists within themselves, and doesn’t require whiteness to threaten it. Often times, in films of black people in the past, it is shrouded with suffering, focusing on the pain given by our white, this challenges that.

[sunrayrooblr]

Zora Neale Hurston’s Field Work

This film was done by author, and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston. 

This film gives us a look at life for African Americans in the early 20th century. Hurston’s work allowed for a honest depiction of African Americans, as well as the way they’ve managed to survive throughout turmoil. I personally love this piece of footage because it provides agency to those black bodies on the screen, those whose bodies are normally contorted by racialized diegesis written by and for white faces. Because of this footage Hurston’s can be consider one of the earliest Black female filmmakers.

[sunrayrooblr]

Atlantic is a Sea of Bones

This 207 short film explores the life a NYC performer, as she must learn to accept herself. The film relies on mise-en-scene to tell its story, using lighting, cinematography and sound. I personally love the first sequence of the film, where our protagonist bathes herself, realizing that of her that is unwanted. In some way, this could be a rebirth, for this is the part of herself needed to learn to accept herself. Just like Cheryl Dunye Watermelon Woman, allows queer filmmakers to utilize the visual media to share their won experiences.