Survey of Black Independent Cinema

Catalog description

Black Independent Cinema is a course about seeing. Many look but few see. We will build a consciousness of the Africana experience in independent filmmaking with particular emphasis on independent filmmakers from the United States. This aim will be achieved by examining the body of work produced by independent filmmakers from the early 1900s up until present day. In addition to the study of the film diegesis, this course will explore aesthetic and theoretical issues relative to the development of an independent Black cinema. Black cinema describes a specific body of films produced in the African Diaspora which shares a common problematic (Yearwood, 2000, p5). Further this course will examine the social dynamics at work during the various stages of Black independent cinema, which has served as a counter to Hollywood’s limited portrayal of the Africana experience. This class is guided by interactive discussion and analysis of films screened.