Black in Period Films

Two African American sisters grow up in racially charged 1960s Georgia, but one is born with fair skin. And when schools integrate in their small town, she decides to change her destiny - by passing for white. Across The Tracks Official Trailer from Mike Cooke on Vimeo . The story begins with the sisters older and living very separate lives. The death of their mother brings them together again in the small town of their youth. As they lay their mother to rest, the past rises up to meet them and we witness the moment that tore their family apart. This short film tackles issues of identity, colorism, peer pressure and bullying and explores the damage that one momentary lapse in judgment can have on an entire life. Cast Brynn Crosby as Young Tara Berkeley Clayborne as Young Ella Thursday Farrar as TaraCarla McCullough as Ella E. Roger Mitchell as Daddy Nicky Buggs as Mama Don Battee as Walter Lee This short film was honored at The African Movie Academy Awards in 201...

Tim Story (The Story Company) and Mark Holder and Christine Holder (Zero Gravity Management) are developing a film a Stephanie St. Clair At HBO Films. The film will be scripted by Nicole Asher, the writer behind Octavia Spencer's Madame CJ Walker series. The HBO film will be based on the book  The World of Stephanie St. Clair: An Entrepreneur, Race Woman and Outlaw in the Early Twentieth Century Harlem  by Shirley Stewart. Stephanie St. Clair known as “Madame Queenie” or just “Queenie” , was a 1920s African American numbers runner. Clair fought and won the fight against the Mafia to remain an independent bushiness. Clair led an eventful life that is perfect for film or a miniseries. I suggest reading up on her, because there are too many things to mention here. Suffice it to say Nicole Asher has a lot of material to draw from. The film could show her young life as a 15 year old maid in Martinique. Her as a 23 year old immigrating from Marseille to the United States ...

We previously posted about this limited series featuring Octavia Spencer  here and here on our tumblr page. Now that we are getting even more information I think it is the perfect time to post something about this exciting project here. Picture Source According to Variety the series is going to be picked up by Netflix; as they showed interest in it. The series is based on the book “On Her Own Ground” which was written by Walker’s great-great-granddaughter, A’Lelia Bundles. Bundles is also serving as a consultant on the series, which is very encouraging. With James’ production company (SpringHill Entertainment) producing it things are looking good for this series. Netflix hasn't made a comment, but I'll update if they do. I must say that I LOVE the casting of Spencer as Walker, and can't wait to see her in the amazing outfits.

The classic 1997 film Eve's Bayou is now available on Amazon Prime. Synopsis : Over the course of a long, hot Louisiana summer, a 10-year-old black girl, Eve Batiste (Jurnee Smollett), discovers that her family's affluent existence is merely a facade. The philandering of her suave doctor father, Louis (Samuel L. Jackson), creates a rift, throwing Eve's mother, Roz (Lynn Whitfield), and teenage sister, Cisely (Meagan Good), into emotional turmoil. Eve manages to find some solace with her aunt, Mozelle (Debbi Morgan). Written and Directed by Kasi Lemmons. I've included the trailer down below for those of you that haven't see Eve's Bayou yet.

These are the period films with Black characters that are leaving Netflix in August 2017. 1) From Time to Time (2009) features the young actor Kwayedza Kureya as Jacob.  PG | 1h 32min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy | 2) Wild Wild West (1999) features Will Smith as James West and Garcelle Beauvais as Belle. PG-13 | 1h 46min | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi Both of these films are fantasy or scifi in nature, but with historical/period settings and costumes. ( Source )

In wonderful biopic and casting news Tyler Perry is set to play Oscar Micheaux.   A film about Oscar Micheaux is dearly need. Micheaux is the pioneer of black film. As the the first African-American to produce a feature-length film (The Homesteader (1919) and a sound feature-length film The Exile (1931) his name should be a household name. However, many people do not know his name or the names of any of his 44 films. I hope this biopic brings attention to the man and his accomplishments. As far as the casting goes, I think Tyler Perry looks enough like Micheaux for it to be convincing (it is a more convincing casting than another recent casting anyway). I also think that it is rather poetic to have the founder/owner of the first black owned major film studio to play the first black producer of a feature length film. I can't wait to see Perry in costume. Charles Murray, executive producer and writer of Netflix/Marvel’s “Luke Cage” series and many others, i...

A musical ... set in the Wild Wild West ... with a Black woman as the lead!! This looks amazing and adorably entertaining! Summary: All aboard for a Western musical adventure the likes of which you’ve never experienced. As a wanted woman of mythic proportions looks to begin life anew out west, Bella ( Ashley D. Kelley)  takes us on the trip of a lifetime to escape her scandalous past and bounce into the arms of her awaiting Buffalo Soldier. Rowdy, wild, and hilarious, Kirsten Childs (Bubbly Black Girl…) infuses this tall tale with soulful tunes and madcap antics aplenty. Giddy-up to our get-down!  The opening number, titled “Big Booty Tupelo Gal” Info: Bella: An American Tall Tale Book, Music, and Lyrics by Kirsten Childs Directed by Robert O'Hara  Choreographed by Camille A. Brown Running in Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater May 19, 2017 – July 02, 2017 More on info: https://www.playwrightshorizons.org/s...