Essential Viewing | Black Frame: New Voices of Documentary

Next week’s A&E IndieFilms conversation Black Frame: New Voices of Documentary explores how three award winning Black filmmakers are moving the documentary form forward using new cinematic languages. Explore these creatives’ visionary work below and RSVP today for the conversation on January 13th at 3 PM (ET)!

Time

Time (dir. Garrett Bradley) – 2020 Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award, 2020 Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award

Stream: Amazon Prime Video

Rendered in evocative black and white, this intimate and artfully shaped documentary follows Fox Rich, who, during desperate times, took part in the attempted robbery of a Shreveport, Louisiana, credit union with her husband, Rob. Released after three years, Fox returns home to raise their sons and take on the relentless fight for Rob’s release, shooting home videos for him while becoming a formidable advocate and entrepreneur.

Evolution of a Criminal

Evolution of a Criminal (dir. Darius Clark Monroe) – 2014 Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award, 2014 Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award

Stream: Tubi

Ten years after robbing a bank as a teenager, filmmaker Darius Monroe returns home and turns the camera on himself—to tell the story of what happened and look at the fallout from his actions.

Hale County This Morning, This Evening

Hale County This Morning, This Evening (dir. RaMell Ross) – 2018 Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award

Stream: Amazon Prime Video

Observational and impressionistic, this poetic film is a humanist exploration of an Alabama community, where mostly black, working-class families live, work, dream, celebrate, and struggle together.

Easter Snap

Easter Snap (dir. RaMell Ross) – 2019 Full Frame Official Selection

Stream: Youtube

In this expressive short film, a group of men in Alabama prepare a hog for butchering. The tender care and ritual nature of this series of steps is captured through textured images and personal conversations.