Daughters of the Dust (1991)
(Julie Dash, US 1991, 113 min., DCP)
With Daughters of the Dust, Julie Dash became the first Black woman to direct a feature that gained general theatrical release in the United States. The story follows the Peazants, a Gullah family, who are descendants of Central and West African enslaved people, on the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina in 1902. A family dinner reunites three generations before members choose either to leave for a modern way of life on the mainland or to remain on the island to maintain their Gullah roots and way of life. The film is known for its lush visuals, scenery, and costumes—which served as major influences on Beyoncé’s 2016 visual album Lemonade—as well as its emotional depth in portraying the past, present, and future coming together. The film earned no. 60 on Sight and Sound magazine’s list of the Greatest Films of All Time.
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