Happy Women’s History Month!!
March is Women’s History Month! The BFCA’s reception area in Wells Library continues to showcase our ongoing poster exhibit celebrating Black women in film (entitled “A Woman’s Touch: Black Women and the Power of Solidarity”). If you are in Wells, stop by our reception space for a quiet space to hang out or study while being surrounded by beautiful historical examples of Black women promotional art!
The second half of our Black History Month went a little something like this…
Wow! We had an amazing Black History Month! Thank you to everyone who showed up to all of the events! Special thanks to the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, the City of Bloomington, Indiana Memorial Union Board, and all other collaborators that helped make this Black History Month even more meaningful and exciting! Take a look at some of our pictures from the second half of the month below. (If you missed the first half, check out our February 2024 newsletter.)
Black Market – February 17, 2024, Bloomington City Hall
This event featured a coalition of organizations, Black-owned businesses, Black creators, and artists. It provided a medium for local talent, business owners, and groups to share information and sell goods. The Black History Month “Black Market” pays homage to the original Black Market that was located in downtown Bloomington and was destroyed by a firebomb on December 26, 1968. The BFCA team had a great time hosting an informational table and engaging with the Bloomington community.
20th Annual Black History Month Gala – February 24, 2024
The annual Black History Month Gala was filled with stars and legends, as we honored Elizabeth Ann Bridgwaters, affectionately known as “Betty,” as the 2024 Living Legend. Betty’s remarkable contributions to our community were celebrated alongside the Outstanding Black Leaders of Tomorrow award recipients.
We commemorated Betty’s legacy of unwavering dedication and service at an event filled with fine dining, live music, and dancing. The Gala promised to be a vibrant celebration of Black history and culture, bringing together individuals from all walks of life to honor the achievements and resilience of our community, and it did not disappoint! The 20th edition was a night to remember—especially with BFCA director Dr. Novotny Lawrence on the mic as emcee! Great job, Dr. Lawrence!
Many thanks to Dr. Lawrence, BFCA Publications & Programming Associate Essence London, and BFCA Finance & Office Administrator Ja Quita Joy Roberts for participating in the Black History Month planning and attending to represent the Black Film Center & Archive.
The Kick It… Black Cinema, Black Love, and Food – February 28, 2024
We celebrated Black films that depict how food brings our community together. We watched some clips, then got a taste of what our favorite characters were eating on screen. Thank you for coming to sit at our table! This event was inspired by the food issue of PERF, the Black Film Center & Archive’s zine. The latest issue “iconic on-screen couples” is out now! (Details included below, in this month’s newsletter.)
Black History Month Celebration at the IMU – February 27, 2024
Our BFCA Finance & Office Administrator Ja Quita Joy Roberts was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Black History Month celebration at the Indiana Memorial Union! She engaged the audience on inventions, the importance, excellence, and resilience of Black History Month, and challenged attendees to continue to show up, speak up, and unite. Thank you to Ja Quita and the BFCA Team that attended, as well!
Lecture New Black Genres by Dr. Rebecca Wanzo – February 29, 2024
Thank you to Dr. Rebecca Wanzo for coming to the BFCA and sharing your expertise with us! Additional special thanks to Dr. Cara Caddoo and Ashley Hayes!
Dr. Rebecca Wanzo is Chair and Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, and author of both The Suffering Will Not Be Televised: African American Women and Sentimental Political Storytelling (SUNY Press, 2009) and The Content of Our Caricature: African American Comic Art and Political Belonging (NYU Press, 2020). Her research interests include African American literature and culture, critical race theory, fan studies, feminist theory, the history of popular fiction in the United States, cultural studies, theories of affect, and graphic storytelling. She has published in venues such as American Literature, Camera Obscura, differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies, Signs, Women and Performance, and numerous edited collections. She has also written essays for media outlets such as CNN, the LA Review of Books, Huffington Post, The Conversation, and the comic book Bitch Planet. Visit https://www.rebeccawanzo.com for more information.
African Film Festival National Traveling Series at IU – March 18-22, 2024
The week after Spring Break, BFCA is bringing the African Film Festival to you! This program of four feature films and five shorts provides a glimpse into emerging and lauded talent in the African film scene. Eleven countries and nine languages are represented, united under the theme “Visions of Freedom.” Director and actor Nganji Mutiri will join us from Brussels, Belgium for a Q&A on Tuesday, March 19 immediately following Juwaa (2021). Special thanks to Dr. Akinwumi Adesokan for moderating the conversation and to the Office of International Services for their partnership. The full screening schedule and brief descriptions of each film are below.
Monday, March 18, 2024 | 7:00pmPhyllis Klotman Classroom, Wells Library 044B
TUG OF WAR (Amil Shivji, 2021)
A young freedom fighter meets an Indian-Zanzibari woman in the middle of the night as she is on her way to be married. Passion and revolution ensue in this coming-of-age political love story. 92 mins, Narrative. Tanzania, South Africa, Germany, Qatar.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | 7:00 pmPhyllis Klotman Classroom, Wells Library 044B
JUWAA (Nganji Mutiri, 2021) + filmmaker Q&A!
Years after a traumatic night, son and mother reconcile and slowly peel away the layers of their complex relationship. Dr. Akinwumi Adesokan will moderate the Q&A with Mutiri immediately after the screening. 85 mins, Narrative. Belgium & Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Wednesday, March 20 | 7:00 pmFranklin Hall Screening Room #304 C
AMA: AN AFRICAN VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY (Nii Kwate Owoo & Kwesi Owusu, 1991)
A golden floppy disc becomes a prophetic device through which a young Ghanaian girl living in England rediscovers her African identity. In a 2023 interview, co-director Owusu reflected on the themes of his debut: “The whole idea that our culture has to be frozen in time is something I was keen to transcend. Culture is living and evolving.” 100 mins, Narrative. Ghana & UK.
Thursday, March 21 | 7:00 pmFranklin Hall Screening Room #304 C
THE LAST SHELTER (Ousmane Samassékou, 2021)
The House of Migrants is a refuge at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. When two teenage girls arrive to regain the strength to continue their journey, they form a freindship with a migrant woman in her forties whose memory has faded over the years. 85 mins, Documentary. France, Mali, & South Africa.
Friday, March 22 | 1:00 pmPhyllis Klotman Classroom, Wells Library 044B
A PROGRAM OF 5 NARRATIVE SHORTS:
EGÚNGÚN (Olive Nwosu, 2021)
BOTLHALE (Reabetswe Moeti, 2022)
MMA MOEKETSI (Reabetswe Moeti, 2018)
FRIEDA (Tisa Chigaga, 2022)
PRECIOUS HAIR & BEAUTY (John Ogunmuyiwa, 2021)
A woman returns to a home where she once had to hide herself. Fast friends fantasize about living in high society. Miners strike for wage increase. An undocumented immigrant grapples now with unemployment. A dynamic community is framed by and around the window of an African hair salon in London. 93 mins total. Nigeria, UK, South Africa, USA.
BFCA’s zine – PERF 5 now available
It’s the one-year anniversary of the BFCA zine PERF! The newest issue is themed “iconic on-screen couples.” Eurydice & Orfeu of Black Orpheus (Marcel Camus, 1959), Nina & Darius of Love Jones (Theodore Witcher, 1997), Chiron & Kevin of Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2016) are a few of the great loves who grace the pages of this issue. Did we include your favorite? Also featured: romantic documents from the Phil Moore collection, tips on filming intimate scenes from a professional intimacy coordinator, a sweet anecdote about how Mrs. Jessie Maple Patton’s 20 West got its start, and more.
We’d love to hear what you think about PERF! Complete the survey at this link for a chance to win an exclusive prize bundle.
Special Guest Visits
Ira Mallory
On February 15, we were honored to welcome a visit from Indianapolis filmmaker Ira Mallory, who recently donated his films Hadassah: Queen Esther (2021) and The Dreidel (2019) into the BFCA’s collections! Mr. Mallory graciously donated a signed poster for Hadassah: Queen Esther and spoke with staff at length about the importance of honoring legacies and representing Black Jewish identity onscreen.
Matthew Solomon
We were excited to show off the Black Film Center & Archive to filmmaker, Matthew Solomon, who was in town for the showing of his documentary Reimagining Safety, on February 23, 2024. In addition to the screening, Mr. Solomon was the guest speaker in a workshop on DIY activist filmmaking and served on a panel discussion on policing and safety. Thank you for visiting us and we look forward to your return!
BFCA Volunteer Program
We are looking for volunteers to help out with various projects around the Black Film Center & Archive! Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with our collections, engage with filmmakers, and have advance notice invitations to BFCA events. If you’re interested in being part of our amazing BFCA team as an ambassador, please contact us at bfca@indiana.edu with “Volunteer” in the subject.
The Girl in the Yellow Scarf — Sandra Chapman
On March 18, the IU Cinema will hold a free screening of Sandra Chapman’s vital new documentary The Girl in the Yellow Scarf (2023). The film chronicles the notorious 1968 murder of 21-year-old Black woman Carol Jenkins in Martinsville, Indiana, and the 50-year struggle to overcome local police missteps and bring the perpetrators to justice. Director Sandra Jenkins will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. Tickets are available at the IU Cinema.
April Upcoming Events
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First Thursday, April 4th: The Black Film Center & Archive is excited to participate in April’s First Thursday celebration, as part of a super tent being coordinated by IU Cinema’s Noni Ford. Be sure to look for us and stop by.
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IU Day 2024 is quickly approaching on April 17th! Join us virtually on our social media pages, as we participate in the IU Day celebration! The Black Film Center & Archive is the only repository in the world solely devoted to the collection, preservation, and commitment to making available historically and culturally significant films. Our research materials extend well beyond just the films, to also include posters/promotional materials, personal papers and journals, interviews, books, photographs, and more. Help us to continue our mission and make a commitment to direct your IU Day donation to the Black Film Center & Archive!
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A Question of Color: On April 20, the BFCA is debuting a new 4K restoration of Kathe Sandler’s film A Question of Color (1993) at the IU Cinema. One of the first documentaries to directly address issues of colorism within the Black community, this landmark film has been restored through IndieCollect using original elements donated to the BFCA by director Kathe Sandler. Ms. Sandler will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. Tickets are available at the IU Cinema.
Social Media Highlights
Phil Moore
On February 20, we celebrated the birthday of composer, arranger, and musician extraordinaire Mr. Phil Moore (1918-1987)! An unsung giant in pop music history, Moore was the first Black composer contracted to a Hollywood studio, contributing nearly 3 dozen mostly-uncredited scores to productions like Ziegfeld Girl (1941), Dumbo (1941), and Cabin in the Sky (1943). After leaving the film industry, Moore worked as a talent coach for a who’s who list of the biggest names of the 20th century, including Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Diahann Carroll, the Supremes, and Marilyn Monroe (who credited Moore with boosting her confidence as a singer). A series of jazzy bebop Christmas records he released in 1953 are considered precursors to modern hip-hop. The Black Film Center & Archive’s Phil Moore Collection retains hundreds of Mr. Moore’s manuscripts, personal artifacts, and recordings, including notes for his unpublished autobiography!’ (Photos from the Phil Moore Collection)
Tunde Kelani
Happy birthday on February 26 to Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani (born 1948)! Known affectionately as “TK,” Mr. Kelani has shot and directed nearly 2 dozen films since the early 1990s through his production company Mainframe Films. A noted chronicler of indigenous African (particularly Yoruba) culture and history, TK is noted for his many literary adaptations, including Koseegbe (1995), Oleku (1997),Thunderbolt (2001), and Dazzling Mirage (2015).
(DVD screenshot from Thunderbolt from the Black Film Center & Archive’s General Collection; headshot from Mainframe Productions)
Shaka King
Happy March 7 birthday to acclaimed director/screenwriter Shaka King (born 1980)! A graduate of NYU’s film program, Mr. King expanded his thesis project into his first feature Newlyweeds (2013), which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. His second feature, the bold historical drama Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), chronicles the 1969 FBI murder of activist Fred Hampton and earned 5 Oscar nominations, winning 2 (including Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Kaluuya). In his press interviews for Judas, King spoke openly about racial discrimination in Hollywood and the importance of telling provocative, revolutionary stories to a mass audience. (Headshot by Terrance Purdy Jr. for The New Yorker; DVD screenshot from Newlyweeds from the Black Film Center & Archive’s General Collection)
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