Daughters of the Dust: The Making of an African American Woman's Film (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

A haunting film rich in visual beauty. A mystical examination of what it means to honor and cherish family. -- Siskel & Ebert, "At the Movies"

Daughters of the Dust is a beautiful book to delight the most demanding tastes. It is also an important book--the history of film is incomplete without it. -- Toni Morrison

Daughters of the Dust very much has a power all of its own. -- Los Angeles Times

Product Description

In the winter of 1992, nearly one hundred years after motion pictures were invented, the first nationally distributed feature by an African American woman was released in the United States. The film tells the story of an African American sea-island family preparing to come to the mainland at the turn of the century. In her richly textured, highly visual, lyrical portrayal of the day of the departure, Julie Dash evokes the details of a persisting African culture and the tensions between tradition and assimilation. Daughters of the Dust: The Making of an African American Woman's Film, which includes Dash's complete screenplay, describes the story of her extraordinary sixteen-year struggle to complete the project.

Product Details

• Paperback: 173 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The (November 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565840305
• ISBN-13: 978-1565840300
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #291,537 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars History from a different perspective., January 12, 2009

By	Carole J. Hane (Dearborn Heights, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is the companion to the movie Daughters of the Dust. Or the other way around. I have loved the moviw and the book since they both came out. By reading the book you get a deeper understanding of the struggle between old and new. The movie shows it as well, but the book allows you to spend more time on the specifice. I was glad I was able to find it again.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a good book about a fascinating movie, October 24, 2001

By A Customer

Daughters of the Dust was a fascinating movie about the struggles of a female-headed, multigenerational family moving to the American mainland. It was made in fits and starts due to continual fundraising for the movie that Dash had to do. This book documents getting the movie made. It has a good section in which Dash and cultural critic bell hooks discuss the symbolisms in the film. Given that even Spike Lee has trouble raising money for his films, it is essential that incipient black filmmakers get advice on what they'r getting into. In that way, this book is an important first tool. Those majoring in film studies, feminist studies, or Afro-American studies will want to have this book.