Filmmaker Scheduled to Appear
A timeless story of a family coming to grips with a both the past and the precarious present, Daughters of the Dust continues to inspire artists and audiences alike more than a quarter century after its original release. Q&A with filmmaker Julie Dash to follow. 35th anniversary screening.
At the dawn of the 20th century, a multi-generational family in the Gullah community on the Sea Islands off of South Carolina—former West African slaves who adopted many of their ancestors’ Yoruba traditions—struggle to maintain their cultural heritage and folklore while contemplating a migration to the mainland, even further from their roots. The first wide release by a Black woman filmmaker, Daughters of the Dust was met with wild critical acclaim and rapturous audience response when it initially opened in 1991. Casting a long legacy, the film still resonates today, most recently as a major influence on Beyonce’s video album Lemonade and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. Proper color grading of the new 2K restoration was overseen by cinematographer Arthur Jafa, ensuring audiences will finally see the film exactly as Dash intended. Restored from the original internegative at Modern Videofilm with assistance from the UCLA Film & Television Archive. [112 min; drama, romance; French and English]
A Q&A with filmmaker Julie Dash will follow the screening.
This screening is part of the Black Film Center & Archive's celebration of the newly acquired Michelle Materre Collection. Materre, a renowned distributor and programmer, was instrumental in securing the release of Daughters of the Dust and mentored an entire generation of independent minority filmmakers. Learn more about the BFCA's celebration here.
“Daughters of the Dust abounds with stunning motifs and tableaux, the iconograph seemingly sourced from dreams as much as from history and folklore.” — Melissa Anderson, Village Voice
"For all its harsh allusions to slavery and hardship, the film is an extended, wildly lyrical meditation on the power of African cultural iconography and the spiritual resilience of the generations of women who have been its custodians." — Stephen Holden, New York Times
"Decades later, the film has lost none of its importance or appeal." — Matt Brunson, Film Frenzy
Any film screened at IU Cinema may contain content that viewers find sensitive or upsetting. Visit our Audience Advisories page to learn more.
