Saturday Short

Daughters of the Dust Film Still

Today's short is the trailer for the masterpiece Daughters of the Dust (CohenMedia Group), written, directed, and produced by Julie Dash. First released in 1991, the film, which was restored and re-released last November, tells the story of the early 20th Century Peazant family, descendants of West African slaves and part of coastal South Carolina's Gullah community, and of how a decision to migrate to the mainland and then North causes conflict. It addresses beautifully ideas about home and belonging, black female identity, and cultural memory.

When it premiered, the film was the first feature by a female African American filmmaker to be given a wide theatrical release. It has been screened recently at the Brattle Theatre, Cambridge, Massachusetts (read a review); BAM Rose Cinemas, Brooklyn, New York; and Bartos Theatre, Cambridge.

Daughters of the Dust on FaceBook