It's Still Black History Month - Here's a Spotlight on Indie Film Pioneer Director Julie Dash
Let the church say 'amen', let the church say 'amen again'. It is still Black History Month Year and ONTD's Head Negro in Charge is continuing her Black History Originals and today the culture shines a spotlight on director Julie Dash, most known for her critically acclaimed film Daughters of the Dust. In this post, I've included some words from the visionary herself including some of her other works the short film Illusions that first got her noticed. Spliced in with some of her works and creativity are some bits of trivia. Hope you enjoy!
Snapple Fact #1: Daughters of the Dust became the first full-length film directed by an African-American woman to obtain general theatrical release in the United States in 1991. 1991. This is great for the culture but like... the United States is ghetto.
The short film depicts the life of an African American woman passing as a white woman working in the film industry during the 1940s. It calls attention to the lack of African Americans in the film industry during that era. In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Snapple Fact #2: She was born in Queens, New York and educated there originally studying psychology before switching to studying film and studied at Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts at City Colleges.
In this romantic suspense thriller, a young wealthy corporate executive, Erin Cortland (Allison Dean) witnesses a horrible crime and then becomes the target of the same psychopathic killer (Phil Morris). Her sniveling fiancé it (Roger G. Smith) is no help, so her father (Ron Glass) hires a bodyguard (Richard T. Jones) to protect her.
Snapple Fact #3: Went to UCLA for grad school is known as one of the Black film creatives a part of the "LA Rebellion".
A privileged, black college student with a fiance falls in love with a white musician she meets on her 21st birthday. Starring Monica, essence Atkins, Rachel True.
Snapple Fact #4: Originally set out on filming documentaries and inspired by Latin American and Russian film, the works of Black geniuses like Toni Morrison and Alice Walker inspired shift her focus on to narratives focusing on Black women. One of her first narratives is a short film called "Four Women" inspired by the Nina Simone song.
A woman returns to her home town to sort out her troubled marriage and finds new happiness in the rekindling of a broken friendship with her cousin.
Snapple Fact#5: She's also directed music videos including Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason", Raphael Saadiq and Peabo Bryson.
I know Daughters of the Dust is her magnum opus, but I thought it be great to include some lesser known works.
Sources 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Click to viewSnapple Fact #1: Daughters of the Dust became the first full-length film directed by an African-American woman to obtain general theatrical release in the United States in 1991. 1991. This is great for the culture but like... the United States is ghetto.
The short film depicts the life of an African American woman passing as a white woman working in the film industry during the 1940s. It calls attention to the lack of African Americans in the film industry during that era. In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Snapple Fact #2: She was born in Queens, New York and educated there originally studying psychology before switching to studying film and studied at Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts at City Colleges.
In this romantic suspense thriller, a young wealthy corporate executive, Erin Cortland (Allison Dean) witnesses a horrible crime and then becomes the target of the same psychopathic killer (Phil Morris). Her sniveling fiancé it (Roger G. Smith) is no help, so her father (Ron Glass) hires a bodyguard (Richard T. Jones) to protect her.
Snapple Fact #3: Went to UCLA for grad school is known as one of the Black film creatives a part of the "LA Rebellion".
A privileged, black college student with a fiance falls in love with a white musician she meets on her 21st birthday. Starring Monica, essence Atkins, Rachel True.
Snapple Fact #4: Originally set out on filming documentaries and inspired by Latin American and Russian film, the works of Black geniuses like Toni Morrison and Alice Walker inspired shift her focus on to narratives focusing on Black women. One of her first narratives is a short film called "Four Women" inspired by the Nina Simone song.
A woman returns to her home town to sort out her troubled marriage and finds new happiness in the rekindling of a broken friendship with her cousin.
Snapple Fact#5: She's also directed music videos including Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason", Raphael Saadiq and Peabo Bryson.
I know Daughters of the Dust is her magnum opus, but I thought it be great to include some lesser known works.
Sources 1 2 3 4 5 6 7