The Stage 32 Videos: Black American Film

The genesis of Black Films

NEW AFRICAN AMERICAN CINEMA. The Genesis Of Black Films. GENRE: Documentary (Feature). Writer, Producer & Director: ORJI OBIORAH. ARTIST STATEMENT: The New African American Cinema documentary will chronicle the emergence of ''Black Films''. Before the emergence of Black Films, early Hollywood genre films, and many popular American television sitcoms were blatantly propagating the idea of the ‘’superior race’’. This is the idea that being White (especially being a White male), is equivalent to civilization, while being Black, or Native Indian is equated to savagery. In this film, I shall present how the racist ‘’essentialist race’’ narrative which was blatantly propagated in early Hollywood (pre-1960s) racist films, eventually compelled African American filmmakers to find a way to tell their stories- through Black Films. OBJECTIVE: My objective, is to make an intellectual film which will inspire an intellectual debate. In my opinion, the incessant rancorous character assassination, and apparent cultural genocide committed against African Americans through early Hollywood films, compelled African American filmmakers to find a unique way to express themselves through ‘’Black films.’’ I shall argue that the emergence of the ‘’New Black Cinema’’ of the 1970s, is necessary in order to tell the real truth about race relations in America’s pre-1960s racially & ideologically fragmented society. The hard work of African American expressive film makers led to the emergence of a unique ‘’Black Cinema,’’ which served as a foundation for Black Cinemas across the world today. ORJI OBIORAH Film Historian | Film Maker CEO: Victoria Street Studios. CEO: Nollywood Canada International Film Festival. BA (Hons) Film & Media Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada. www.orjiobiorah.com www.nciff.net