Customer Reviews

Black Women Film and Video Artists (AFI Film Readers)

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This book should be required reading for any student of American cinema. All too often, independent filmmakers (particularly women) are ignored in other books. When they are mentioned, the discussion is limited to only one or two people. This is because many of the films are rarely shown outside of film festivals (and occassionally cable). Black women filmmakers did not start with Gina Prince-Bythewood (LOVE AND BASKETBALL), Kasi Lemmons (EVE'S BAYOU) or even Julie Dash (DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST). In reality, it started long before any of these women were even born. This book tells the story through essays and often through their own words of the struggles of Black women film and video makers. What is also great about this book is the comprehensive video/filmography in the rear of the volume. It includes not only feature films, but numerous shorts as well (including important student projects). Importantly, it also lists the distributors of these films, so that others may discover them. Filmmakers mentioned in the book that have gone on into features include Zeinabu irene Davis (COMPENSATION which screened at Sundance in 2000) and Cauleen Smith (Urbanworld Fest Winner for DRYLONGSO). These and films like them need to be seen by a wider audience. Hopefully, this book will inspire people to seek them out and to encourage this and other women to make more wonderful films.

There has been a large desire to know more about the thoughts, history, and films of Black Women Filmmakers. This anthology edited by Jacqueline Bobo, covers areas from the early pioneers such as Eloyce Gist in the 1920's to the current rung of documentary, animation, and narrative filmmakers in the United States. Some of the filmmakers covered are Jacqueline Shearer, (Eyes on the Prize) Carol Munday Lawrence (Kwanzaa series), and Michelle Parkerson ("...But Then She's Betty Carter", "Gotta Make This Journey:Sweet Honey in the Rock"," A Lithany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde")