Here is an excerpt from one of my Film Criticism assignment submissions. The final video story is a 10-minute travel through time with b-roll curated from various online sources to corroborate the message. I explored the meaning of black cinema, the history, cultural significance, theories, challenges, and future. I highlighted the origins, silent film era, race films, blaxploitation films, the work of pioneer Oscar Michaux, independent cinema, notable challenges, the structure of Hollywood narratives, and the theories of Manthia Diawara, bell hooks and Haile Gerima. The later describes cinema as a weapon, and “one of the most unexamined, unscrutinzed tool(s) of colonialism” detailing how mass media exploitation prescribes a view of blackness that perpetuates the disenfranchisement of Black Americans.
What is Black Cinema anyway?
Black Cinema is defined as classification used to describe film which involves the participation and/or representation of black people. Now, this definition is quite broad and leaves some room for interpretation. It could mean the film black cast, a black crew, a black director, a black story, or a focus on black audiences.
Alternatively, black cinema has been defined as a film recounting relatable common experiences and containing cultural elements that celebrate Black Cultural Identity.
Film director, Gladstone Yearwood defines black cinema as a body of films produced in the African diaspora which share a common problematic. These films are a cultural expression of the survival impulse of African American culture and its struggle against marginalization.
Black cinema is not an isolated phenomenon. It has always been linked with social issues in the black community and served as the imagination of our aspirations. Although challenges remain with funding and access, there is definitely a market for black stories. It’s interesting to speculate in what direction black cinema would go.
If you would like to view the entire video story, send a message on the contact page or sign-up for mailing list. I can also forward my voiceover transcript. Best regards!