Beautiful, Angry, & Honest
Why don't more people know this film?
I saw Dennis Leroy Moore's film at the 21st Black International Cinema Festival in Charlottenburg, Berlin. I was completely blown away and was very impressed and astonished by such an honest, in your face film that traverses the nature of racism, identity, art, and passion in its various mutations. Some of the white people who saw it were shocked at the film's rancor and honesty...Being an Irish man I kept seeing the parallel's between the history of the Black American and what the Irish themselves have gone through with the English. Obviously the racial factor is different and worse for Black people - but I could identify on some level with the main character's anger (Cairo - played by Luis Laporte) and resentment towards the world around him...My favorite scenes however were the scenes with Abner, the theater director and when we get a glimpse into the fleeting idealism that runs a true independent theater company. The performances were powerful and the lighting was superb. I liked the feeling, the mood of the film.
A piece of art that is much needed in these bland, Pro-Conservative times we live in. The movie is a prime example of Artaud's concept to make the actor and audience on - "a victim burnt at the stake - signaling through the flames."
I saw Dennis Leroy Moore's film at the 21st Black International Cinema Festival in Charlottenburg, Berlin. I was completely blown away and was very impressed and astonished by such an honest, in your face film that traverses the nature of racism, identity, art, and passion in its various mutations. Some of the white people who saw it were shocked at the film's rancor and honesty...Being an Irish man I kept seeing the parallel's between the history of the Black American and what the Irish themselves have gone through with the English. Obviously the racial factor is different and worse for Black people - but I could identify on some level with the main character's anger (Cairo - played by Luis Laporte) and resentment towards the world around him...My favorite scenes however were the scenes with Abner, the theater director and when we get a glimpse into the fleeting idealism that runs a true independent theater company. The performances were powerful and the lighting was superb. I liked the feeling, the mood of the film.
A piece of art that is much needed in these bland, Pro-Conservative times we live in. The movie is a prime example of Artaud's concept to make the actor and audience on - "a victim burnt at the stake - signaling through the flames."
- newworldartists
- May 18, 2006