African-American Representation in Feature Films Series

Bush Mama (1975) by Haile Gerima

Thursday, October 27
7:00 PM
Nonstop Institute
305 N. Walnut St., Yellow Springs
donation

This independent film by Haile Gerima (who also directed Sankofa, 1993) emerged from the renowned LA School of filmmakers (UCLA, early 1970s). Bush Mama was shot on the streets of Los Angeles in the 1970s and traces the connections between the social control inherent in the welfare system and state-sponsored terrorism, with a stunning lead performance by Dayton’s Barbara O. The story follows a young woman whose husband, a Vietnam vet, is imprisoned for a crime hasn’t committed and whose daughter is struggling with political and cultural messages of the period. Blurring the boundaries between regulation, coercion and policing, Gerima develops multiple narratives of resistance.

About the African-American Representation in Feature Films series and workshop screenings on Thursdays at Nonstop October-November, 2011: Starting in mid-October and continuing every Thursday through November 3, Bob Devine will introduce screenings of a series of important and sometimes difficult-to-access narrative films dealing with African-American representation by African-American directors and by Hollywood (1964-1989). Future screenings include works by Charles Burnett, and Spike Lee. People are encouraged to attend these screenings/workshop discussions as a series, or to attend the individual screenings of specific films. For information on the entire series, go to the website: nonstopinstitute.org.

About the instructor: Bob Devine was one of the founding members of Antioch College’s critical Communications program, has been teaching courses in media and social change, film and communications theory for 40 years, and has been actively involved in the fields of community media, public access and participatory democratic media outside the academy. In 2005 Bob served as Interim Executive Director of Manhattan Neighborhood Network, and in 2008 he served an extended term as an Executive Consultant for O‘lelo Community Media in Honolulu, these organizations being the two largest community media centers in the country. At Antioch, Bob served as President of the College from 1996-2001, while continuing to teach in the field of communication and community media; most recently Bob taught courses and independent studies for Nonstop. Bob is the 1994 recipient of the Alliance for Community Media’s George Stoney Award, recognizing his national contributions to the field of community media, and the 2002 recipient of the Antioch College Alumni Association’s J.D. Dawson Award recognizing his contributions to the College. Bob is also the director of several dozen documentaries.