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Black Film Center

" ENJOYING (WHILE LEARNING & REJOICING) OUR ART & CULTURE "

An Africentric collection of historic and contemporary Hollywood and independent films; features, documentaries, dramatic, comedy shorts and animations in videocassette & DVD formats.

Beginning in the 1910s, a separate film industry began to take root, in part, to remedy the negative depiction of blacks in motion pictures.  Race movies served as an alternative for black movie-goers where they could see people of their own race in positive, uplifting roles rather than the stereotypes prevalent in the white movie industry. While few race movies were comedies, to try to avoid the "comedic" bumblings of Toms, Coons, Mammies, and Sambos in Hollywood, actions, dramas, and westerns were common. Christian morality tales were also popular, such as Spencer Williams' Blood of Jesus (1941) and Go Down, Death! (1944).

Moviegoers also play an important role in bringing alternative depictions of the African American experience to the big screen. By avoiding movies that portray only the lowest common denominator of Black life and supporting the trickle of intriguing Black films, audiences potentially have the greatest amount of leverage to affect studio releases. Baps, Booty Call, Juice and South Central needn't be the only choices for black moviegoers. "If you see a film that you don't enjoy, go to the box office and ask for your money back," says one film industry executive.

Daughters of the Dust - Working with a theme and history that's obviously dear to her heart, first-time writer-director Julie Dash's exquisitely alive film chronicles the last days of the Gullah, an Americanized West African people in danger of losing their identity. Dash makes up for some overly schematic dialogue and an occasionally pokey pace with some strong performances (particularly Cora Lee Day as the sternly matriarchal Nana) and an absolutely wonderful visual sense (kudos should also go to her ace cinematographer Arthur Jafa, whose dazzlingly sumptuous imagery surely inspired Jonathan Demme's later Beloved). A rapturously textured, wholly mesmerizing glimpse into the Gullah culture.	Sankofa - Sankofa is an Akan word that means, "We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today." Written, directed and produced by Ethiopian-born filmmaker Haile Gerima, SANKOFA is a powerful film about Maafa-the African holocaust. Done from an African/African-American perspective, this story is a vastly different one from the generally distorted representations of African people that Hollywood gives us.  This revolutionary feature film connects enslaved black people with their African past and culture. It empowers Black people on the screen by showing how African peoples' desire for freedom made them resist, fight back, and conspire against their enslavers, overseers and collective past through the vision on Mona, who visits her ancestral experience on a new world plantation as Shola. We share the life she endures as a slave and experiences her growing consciousness and transformation.	Roots - From the moment the young Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton) is stolen from his life and ancestral home in 18th-century Africa and brought under inhumane conditions to be auctioned as a slave in America, a line is begun that leads from this most shameful chapter in U.S. history to the 20th-century author... Roots - The Next Generations   Roots
Malcolm X-Death of a Prophet	Malcolm X Just as Do the Right Thing was the capstone of Spike Lee's earlier career, Malcolm X marked the next milestone in the filmmaker's artistic maturity. It seemed everything Lee had done up to that point was to prepare him for this epic biography of America's fiery civil-rights leader, who is superbly...	Malcolm X: His Own Story as it Really Happened VHS Tape
Black American History - Vol. 5: Modern History VHS Tape	Selma, Lord, Selma	The Middle Passage The first image seen in The Middle Passage is a spotless tropical beach. But this is paradise lost, and most of the remainder of this poetically harrowing feature is spent on a slave ship bound from the African coast to the New World. The purpose of Martinique-born director Guy Deslauriers is not to...
Out of Africa Sydney Pollack's 1985 multiple-Oscar winner is a sumptuous and emotionally satisfying film about the life of Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), better known as Isak Dinesen, who travels to Kenya to be with her German husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) but falls for an English adventurer	Underground Railroad No records were kept, but historians believe more than 100,000 slaves tried to escape their bondage before the Emancipation Proclamation. Most of those who made it to the relative safety of the north--or the wilderness, when slavery still reigned in the north--had help in the form of the...	African Healing Dance with lead dancer Wyoma and the dancers and drummers of the Damballa dance troupe, is a step-by-step dance course on healing traditions and spiritual movements that are special to the African dance heritage. An African proverb teaches, "If you can talk, you can sing, and if you...
Mandingo     Return To Glory: The Powerful Stirring of the Black Race - VHS Tape	African Influence on Early Europe - Only 3 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).	Through The Door Of No Return - Through the Door of No Return  is a personal journey of the filmmaker, Shirikiana Aina, on a search for her father's footsteps, an ordinary African-American, who she tells us, travelled to Ghana to set up a business and died as a result of Malaria and a punctured kidney. She goes back at night, over the water, called by her father's voice and the voice of her questions surrounding Aina's journey are numerous:  VHS Tape

"If WE Don't Tell Our Story - Who Will Tell It Right?"

 

Aerobics With Soul, Kilimanjaro (1995) - This workout video is hosted by fitness expert Maria Nhambu Bergh and includes exercise routines inspired by traditional African dances with the backdrop of Tanzania's Tarangire National Park. Miscellaneous, 80 min., VHS, dir: Terry Smith.	Booker T Washington: The Life and the Legacy (1982) - Using historic photographs for authenticity, this dramatized documentary focuses on Washington's career as the most influential educator of his time. Maurice Woods plays Washington, Al Freeman, Jr. is W.E.B. DuBois. Documentary, 30 min., 16mm, dir: William Greaves.	Five On The Black Hand Side (1973) - Black nationalism and women's liberation battle against middle class conventionality as the younger son and later the wife of a black barbershop owner form third world protest against the patriarch's conservative and anglophile values in this sometimes serious comedy. Godfrey Cambridge appears in a cameo role. Comedy, 96 min., DVD, dir: Oscar Williams.
Amandla! A Revolution In Four-Part Harmony (2002) - This documentary uses the history of the South African liberation movement to show the various ways that music was used to fight for freedom. Songs were a unification tool among the oppressed, and music consoled the incarcerated and created effective forms of underground communication within the prison walls. Documentary, 103 min., DVD, dir: Lee Hirsch.	Buffalo Soldiers (1997) - "Buffalo Soldiers," a name given to the 9th & 10th all-black Calvary units by the Cheyenne Indians is the focus of this fictional film set during 1879-1880 in which 1st Sgt. Washington Wyatt (Danny Glover) is ordered to get rid of the last group of Apaches along the New Mexico-Arizona border. Carl Lumbly is John Horse. Western, 90 min., VHS, dir: Charles Haid.	4 Little Girls (1997) - Spike Lee documents the infamous 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama where four young girls were killed on September 15, 1963, while attending Sunday School. Documentary, 102 min., VHS, dir: Spike Lee.
The American Experience - Marcus Garvey VHS ~ American Experience The story of Marcus Garvey, a controversial African American leader of the early 20th century, is thoughtfully told in this documentary, an installment in the American Experience series on PBS. Garvey, who was born in Jamaica, learned the printer's trade as a teenager, and his ability to express... American History for Children: African-American Life (1996) - This film invites K-4 aged children to learn about African-American history through graphics and animations, utilizing reenactments and sing-alongs to help tell the stories. Narration covers the slave trade, inhumane treatment of Blacks, KKK massacres, W.E.B. DuBois, and Booker T. Washington among other important historical figures. Documentary, 100 min., VHS, dir: Fabian & Baber.	Capoeira Brazil's Secret Fighting Art (1980) - Warrington Hudlin's film features a dance performance of Capoeira which was originally devised by Brazilian slaves as a fighting art of revolt and escape. When the Portuguese slave owners outlawed the practice, the slaves disguised Capoeira as a dance in order to continue its practice. Documentary, 10 min., 16mm, dir: Warrington Hudlin.  Daughters of the Dust (1991) - From their Sea Island home, matriarch Nana Peazant (Cora Lee Day) has taught her family the cultural values of their African heritage, but fears these values will be lost when the family migrates North to the mainland. The pregnancy of Eula Peazant (Alva Rodgers) leaves her husband Eli (Anderson) in turmoil as to his relationship to the unborn child (Kai-Lynne Warren). The return of Yellow Mary (Barbara O) from the mainland with her friend Trula (Trula Hoosier) leads to additional family tensions. Arthur Jaffa is the cinematographer. The film was awarded Best Cinematography at the Sundance Film Festival. Drama, 113 min., 35mm, VHS, DVD, dir: Julie Dash.	Futuresport (1998) - This film made its debut on cable television. Directed by renowned cinematographer Ernest Dickerson and set in the future, this film showcases the struggle between good and evil--in this instance, terrorists versus hot-shot athletes who use their world-famous sporting event as a means to resolve territorial disputes. Wesley Snipes in dreadlocks plays a pivotal role in this relatively popular film for which he also serves as executive producer. Vanessa Williams stars along with Dean Cain of Superman fame. Science Fiction, 89 min., VHS, dir: Ernest Dickerson.    The Bible - Genesis [aka La Genèse] (1999) - The film draws on the Biblical Genesis, chapters 23-37, which tells about the rebirth of the world after the Flood, but enacts the events in Mali and with African actors. The focus is on the feud between two brothers - Jacob (Sotigui Kouyate) and Esau (Salif Keita) - which reflects on their relative, Hamor (Balla Moussa Keita). Drama, 102 min., DVD, dir: Cheick Oumar Sissoko
African-American Leaders of the 20th Century Several African-Americans were influential leaders during the 20th Century.  Take an in-depth look at six men who made significant contributions to American society.  Their stories are inspirational.	Death of a Prophet :The Last Days of Malcolm X (1981) - This docudrama follows the last hours of Malcolm X (Morgan Freeman) by weaving documentary footage with dramatic reenactment. The film emphasizes the mysterious circumstances surrounding the assassination. Ossie Davis, Yuri Kochiyama, and Amiri Baraka discuss the impact Malcolm had on their lives. Drama, 70 min., VHS, DVD, dir: Woodie King, Jr.	George Washington Carver (1984) - The film documents the story of Carver, the famous botanist whose research with peanuts was finally recognized for its importance. Distributed by Kaw Valley Films. Documentary, 25 min., 16mm, dir: unknown
The African American Story Telling Collection, Vol. 2       Black American History Series - VHS Tape	Deluge [aka Ye Wonz Maibel] (1997) - For Ethiopian filmmaker Salem Mekuria, the disappearance of her brother - a critic of the military government that replaced the deposed Emperor Haile Selassie - was a haunting, life-changing experience. Using such an intensely personal narrative, Mekuria explores the effects of the regime on Ethiopia between 1974 and 1991. Screened at more than a dozen film festivals across the world, the documentary received honors at NBPC’s Prized Pieces and the Black Maria Film & Video Festival. Documentary, 62 min., DVD, dir: Salem Mekuria.	Get on the Bus (1996) - George (Charles S. Dutton) is forced to drive "The Spotted Owl" tour bus after Rick (Richard Belzer), the lone white man in the group, is harassed by African American men as they travel from Los Angeles to the historic Million Man March in Washington, D.C. The men encounter racism and conflict erupts when it is discovered that two of the African American men, Randall (Harry J. Lennix) and Kyle (Isaiah Washington) are homosexual lovers. Drama, 120 min., VHS, dir: Spike Lee.

African American History Series Compl The Civil War ended slavery and brought new hope to African Americans. The post-war Reconstruction Period spawned new constitutional rights and major social change. Major contributions of African Americans and their leaders are covered up to the present, emphasizing America as a multicultural democracy.	Dreadlocks and the Three Bears (1992) - The story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is told from an African American perspective. Children, 12 min., VHS, dir: Alile Sharon Larkin.	Girl 6 (1996) - Spike Lee coaxed Prince out of "retirement" to provide the soundtrack for this dramatic comedy that focuses on the struggles an African American woman faces as she pursues her desire to become an actress. Along the way she supports herself as a telephone sex operator dubbed "Girl 6" by her employer. With this film Lee provides stunning commentary on technology's impact on human relationships, among other things. This film also features Halle Berry, Naomi Campbell and Madonna. Comedy, 108 min., VHS, dir: Spike Lee.
Black Caesar  (1973) - Fred Williamson is a gangster who tries to get his share of the money squeezed from the ghetto by the Mafia. Drama, 92 min., VHS, dir: Larry Cohen.	The Education of Sonny Carson (1974) - Campus has recruited directly from the community in his documentary style look at young Blacks with dreams of escaping their ghetto situation. Professional actor Rony Clanton plays Sonny Carson whose life, in reality, has been reshaped by the lessons he learned trying to stay alive in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant area. Drama, 105 min., DVD, dir: Michael Campus.	Glory (1989) -  In this fictionalized version of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and the battle of Fort Wagner, Thomas Searles (Andre Braugher) John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman) and Trip (Denzel Washington) are among the members of the first "unit of colored troops" organized during the Civil War. Raymond St. Jacques appears as Frederick Douglass. Drama, 122 min., VHS, dir: Edward Zwick.
Black History: Lost, Stolen, or Strayed (1968) - Bill Cosby narrates the accomplishments African Americans have made in science. Documentary, 51 min., 16mm, VHS, dir: Andrew A. Rooney & Vern Diamond.	Eve's Bayou (1997) - Told through the eyes of Louis' (Samuel L. Jackson) youngest daughter Eve (Jurnee Smollett), the film concerns various events happening within a Louisiana family, one of which is Louis' infidelities towards his wife Roz (Lynn Whitfield). Debbie Morgan plays Mozelle Batiste; Meagan Good is Cisely Batiste; Jake Smollett, Poe Batiste; Ethel Ayler as Gran Mere; Vondie Curtis-Hall plays Julian Grayraven; Lisa Nicole Carson portrays Matty Mereaux; Diahann Carroll is Elzora and Branford Marsalis is Harry. Drama, 108 min., 35mm, VHS, DVD, dir: Kasi Lemmons.	Half Slave, Half Free [aka Solomon Northup's Odyssey] (1985) - Adapted from the 19th century autobiographical "Narrative of the Life of Solomon Northup," the film dramatizes Northup's (Avery Brooks) experiences as a free man sold into slavery by two kidnappers. After 12 years as a slave in Louisiana, he is finally returned to Saratoga, New York, where his wife and three children, now grown, await him. Drama, 118 min., VHS, dir: Gordon Parks.
Black Indians: An American Story (2001) - Connections between Native Americans and African Americans is the theme of this documentary. By examining their shared histories, together they confront future challenges. This documentary is narrated by James Earl Jones, whose heritage is both Native and African American. Documentary, 60 min., VHS, dir: Chip Richie.	Fannie Lou Hamer-Every Day Battle (1999) - The first video biography about civil rights legend Fannie Lou Hamer, this documentary reports intimate details of Hamer's tough early years in one of the poorest areas of the U.S. and her unexpected rise to national prominence, through her last years, often spent alone and ignored. This video also features Congressman John Lewis as he discusses this extraordinary woman. It also includes footage from Atlantic City speech. Documentary, 30 min., VHS, dir: Rex Barnett.	The Harder They Come (1973) - First feature film made by Jamaicans stars Jimmy Cliff (who also wrote the music) as Ivan, a young black man from the country with musical ambitions and talent who runs up against the police in Kingston after being thwarted by the corruption of the city. Based on the career of Rhygin, a criminal-hero who terrorized and fascinated Jamaica in the fifties, the film captures the plight of a people with little hope for the future, whose economy and government are controlled by foreign investment interests. Drama, 93 min., VHS, dir: Perry Henzell.
Black Jesus (1971) - Woody Strode plays Alubi, an African leader that refuses to give up his village to European colonists. He gets captured and tortured and is eventually killed. Mixture of English and dubbed English. Drama, 84 min., VHS, dir: Valerio Zurlini.	Legends of the Ring - Muhammad Ali - Skill, Brains & Guts  First World Festival of Negro Arts, The (1968) - Discloses the purpose of the First World Festival of Negro Arts held in Dakar as an attempt to create an awareness of Negro art and culture. Surveys the contributions in music, dance, textiles, poetry, sculpture, and painting. Documentary, 40 min., VHS, dir: William Greaves.	Hotel Rwanda (2004) - The true story of a hotel manager, Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), in Rwanda who provided shelter for over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their conflict with the Hutu militia. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Don Cheadle), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Sophie Okonedo), and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Keir Pearson and Terry George). Drama, 110 min., DVD, dir: Terry George.

 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1979) - Adapted from Maya Angelou's autobiography, the story is about a spirited and gifted, but poor, black girl growing up in the South in the 1930s. It shows how she grew up experiencing prejudice, family difficulties, and a relationship with a teacher who taught her to respect books, learning, and herself. Drama, 96 min., VHS, dir: Fielder Cook.	The Middle Passage (2000) - The horrors of the slave trade are described by the voice of a deceased African slave (Djimon Hounsou) whose spirit haunts the ocean slave trade route between African and the Americas known as "The Middle Passage." Drama, 76 min., DVD, dir: Guy Deslauriers.	Roots of Resistance: A Story of the Underground Railroad (1989) -  The story of Black America's secret railroad to freedom is recounted through narratives of escaped black slaves. Documentary, 58 min., VHS, dir: Orlando Bagwell.
King Solomon's Mines (1937) - Another remake of Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mines; this one with Africans in the African roles. Drama, 80 min., VHS, dir: Robert Stevenson.	Muhammad Ali, The Greatest [aka Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee] (1974) - A factual biography of Ali's ring career, covering 15 months, from February, 1964 bout with Sonny Liston, when he won the heavyweight title to May of 1965 when he won the rematch. The film also focuses on Ali's relationship with Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan and other Nation members. Documentary, 111 min., DVD, dir: William Klein.	The Rosa Parks Story (2002) - Angela Basset stars as Rosa Parks in this detailed biography that takes a look into the life of the pioneering civil rights activist. This movie ventures into Parks' childhood, as well as the years leading up to and after her heroic event that sparked the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement in the mid 1950s. This movie also stars Cicely Tyson and Dexter Scott King. Drama, 97 min., DVD, dir: Julie Dash.
Kwanzaa This comprehensive how-to video describes the origins and practices associated with Kwanzaa, the fastest growing holiday in America. The program interprets all words and symbols and shows how to observe the week long celebration in your own home.	The Murder of Emmett Till (2003) - The documentary revisits the 1955 murder of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till, for whistling at a white woman. The murder, the funeral, and the trial of the white perpetrators became catalysts for the Civil Rights Movement. Documentary, 53 min., DVD, dir: Stanley Nelson.	Rosewood (1997) - The film is based on true events surrounding the prosperous black community of Rosewood, Florida in 1923, in which a white woman falsely accuses a black man of rape. Ving Rhames plays Mr. Mann, Esther Rolle plays Aunt Sarah, Don Cheadle plays Sylvester, Elise Neal plays Scrappie, and Akosue Busia plays Jewel. Drama, 142 min., VHS, dir: John Singleton.
Kwanzaa-African American History	One Doctor-Daniel Hale William (1997) - Daniel Hale Williams became the first surgeon to successfully perform an operation on the human heart in 1893. This biographical documentary discusses the landmark event as well as Dr. Williams' other contributions to medicine. Documentary, 45 min., VHS, dir: Rex Barnett.	Sarafina  (1992) - Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo) is a student in 1970s apartheid South Africa. One of her teachers, Mary Masembuko (Whoopi Goldberg) attempts to teach the students about their own culture. She is arrested and Sarafina and the other students rebel, sparking an uprising which engulfs the entire township. Drama, 98 min., DVD, dir: Darrell James Roodt.
Langston Hughes: Voices & Visions (1988) - A cinematic biography of poet and novelist Langston Hughes was filmed in Paris, France and Dakar, Senegal. The film features appearances by James Baldwin, Amiri Baraka, Leopold Sedar Senghor, and Gwendolyn Brooks. Jazz drummer Max Roach performs. Documentary, 60 min.,VHS, dir: unknown.	Paul Robeson: A Tribute to an Artist (1979) - This Academy Award winning documentary records the career experiences of actor Paul Robeson. From Broadway performances in Othello to his work in films like Proud Valley, King Solomon's Mines, and The Emperor Jones, Robeson was a pioneer in the visual arts. The film chronicles his increasing political activism, as captured through the evolution of the lyrics of "Ol' Man River." Documentary, 29 min., VHS, dir: Saul J. Turell.	Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (2000) - A chilling look at the infamous rape trial of the nine young Black men (ages 13 to 19) unjustly accused of raping two white women in a railroad box car just outside the town of Scottsboro, Alabama in 1931. Documentary, 84 min., VHS, dir: Barak Goodman.
Lions of the African Night (1987) - Documentary, 60 min., 16mm, dir: Skinner Kane.	Promised Land, The (1992) - The documentary focuses on West Indian migration to the North. Documentary, 7 min., VHS, dir: Joan Baker.