Tuesday, September 29, 2020, presented at the International Documentary Association’s (IDA) Getting Real conference.
While much has been written about the colonial history of documentary filmmaking, far less is known about the canon of oppositional cinema created by Black, Indigenous, and other filmmakers of color. There is a rich tradition of oppressed peoples subverting the colonial gaze: from early works by Zora Neale Hurston and William Greaves, to the filmmakers who formed the Iranian New Wave, to the Latin American and African filmmakers behind the Third Cinema movement. This panel featured BIPOC creators discussing the political and aesthetic motivations of liberatory cinema movements and why we must reconstitute the canon with BIPOC-created media.
The panel discussion featured Stanley Nelson, award-winning filmmaker and Firelight Media co-founder; with filmmaker Heather Rae, curator Janaína Oliveira, and moderator Yasmina Price.
How does a documentary filmmaker fulfill their role in the midst of a pandemic and an uprising?
Firelight Media joined The Movement for Black Lives' national call to action on June 19 with a panel conversation that explored the history of Juneteenth and the burning of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, and grappled with the path toward economic justice for Black America.
As physical distancing continues to be the new norm, how can we still make an impact when apart? Sonya Childress, senior fellow at the Perspective Fund, takes us through case studies of documentary film campaigns that have launched in this moment and raise key questions around audience access, care, and how to reach social justice impact goals.
A live event featuring a music set by DJ Frotasia to give our community the opportunity to dance, sing, and shout during a time of tremendous difficulty.
Conversations on representation, labor, and equity featuring the work and perspectives of Undocumented storytellers.
A conversation with Black filmmakers on how they are navigating the ubiquitous images of Black trauma in this moment, documenting Black life, and forging new cinematic languages, practices, and formal approaches.
The recent announcement that golfing icon Tiger Woods would be the subject of a two-part HBO documentary series set in motion a heated debate in the documentary industry about equity, power, and BIPOC filmmakers' demands for structural change.
A conversation to lift up the life and legacy of the former Congressman with inside stories and reflections on his leadership.
