Black History Month Film Series: “Daughters of the Dust”

Set on the Sea Islands off the southeastern United States in the early 20th century, this film is a multigenerational matriarchal epic about the preservation of memory and the necessity of change. Written, directed and produced by Julie Dash, this is the first feature film directed by an African American woman distributed theatrically in the United States. Critically acclaimed for its lush visuals, Gullah dialogue and nonlinear storytelling, the film has been compared to the novels of Toni Morrison for its deft blending of fact and folklore with poetic authority and arresting moral grace. Beyoncé’s visual album “Lemonade” sparked the latest revival of interest in this masterpiece, a ravishingly beautiful work of historical reconstruction and feminist imagination. 1991, NR, 112 min.