Tuesday was the inauguration of the 44th President of the United
States. You don't need me to tell you what went down in Washington,
D.C. It was a moment of triumphant American history. I watched this
amazing event from a bar in Park City, Utah, where I was a small part
of American cinematic history. I was in Park City to screen a film I
executive produced titled Good Hair at the 25th Sundance Film Festival,
an annual event that is America's leading showcase for independent
filmmaking. This was my fourth time out there. My first trip I came in
for one night and slept on a director friend's sofa. My second trip I
was executive producer of the film Everyday People and I had my own
room. My third Sundance trip I was there to premiere my directorial
debut, Life Support, which starred Queen Latifah and my suite was nice
enough to accommodate my assistant and my director of photography. For
this stay I've had three folks sleeping in my living room at various
times.
Part of the charm of Sundance is that it’s about the
camaraderie and sharing that's essential to filmmaking. Unfortunately
black filmmakers have traditionally played a very small part of the
Sundance scene and American indie filmmaking overall. But in the year
of the Big O, the Sundance festival has had the most black themed or
directed films in its history. My count was 30 features, including
Spike Lee's 'Passing Strange' (his first film at the festival,) Robert
Townsend's 'Why We Laugh,' intense documentary profiles of Mike Tyson
and Lil Wayne, Lee Daniels' adaptation of the novel 'Push,' and the
blaxploitation update 'Black Dynamite.' There were so many black films
here I started called this festival "Blackdance."
So as I
watched the inaugural with my partner in (and star of) 'Good Hair',
Chris Rock, I felt that all this filmmaking energy was part of the
transition in the country, where black life, black excellence, black
internal conflicts and obsessions, are as central to America's vision
of itself as it always should have been.
I've hung out with
old friends in the high attitude of Utah, having a quick lunch with
Spike Lee and some laughs with Russell Simmons at various events.
Actresses Nia Long, Sarah Jones and Traci Thoms, who brought amazing
honesty and humor to the film, came to the Good Hair premiere and did
press for the film. Mike Tyson walked the streets with a tux on, 50
Cent rented a house to promote Vitawater, and I ran into the superb
actor Chiwetel Ejiofor walking the streets. Nick Cannon and Mariah
Carey were in different films out here, while Wesley Snipes and Don
Cheadle were both featured in Antonie Fuqua's popular 'Brooklyn's
Finest.'
One of my favorite movies at Sundance spoke to the
great potential black film has an international force. 'Nollywood
Babylon' is a highly entertaining documentary look at the wild world of
the Nigerian movie business, which has exploded since its inception in
1992. Quickly scripted and shot films, released in local markets on VHS
and DVD, the Nigerian film biz has produced its own stars and auteur
directors. These films, many of which deal with the supernatural,
Christianity and the struggle with modernity in Africa, have elements
that remind you of U.S. soap operas, Tyler Perry movies and our gritty
urban dramas. These Nollywood films have given Nigeria the world's
third biggest film industry (behind Hollywood and India's Bollywood.)
These films can be found all over West Africa, Europe and now
throughout America. Though technically crude by our standards, they’re
a self-reliance and commitment to storytelling to these films that is
quite compelling.
The future of black cinema is in the making of
films that link the African Diaspora with Africa -- much like our new
President does itself.
peace
(This is also featured on BET.com with additional photos)
