This weekend in Dallas, Texas February 19 -21, Black Cinematheque Dallas, along with Fahari Arts Institute, DFW Senators, and Mandrake Arts & Media will be hosting a Marlon Riggs Film Festival in the home state of the late black gay filmmaker who brought us the masterpiece Tongues Untied.
"This groundbreaking work is featured on Friday evening and is a must see for serious admirers of queer cinema", notes gay podcaster JW Richard of Mandrake Society Radio who also made loldarian.com aware of the festival.
Riggs (pictured top left with Essex Hemphill) died from AIDS related complications in 1994 but prior to his death made his mark in cinema by infusing racsim, sexuality, homophobia, and HIV/AIDS themes into his work viewed by mainstream audiences. He produced many documentaries for public television, some of which were considered controversial by media watchdog groups, who protested the fact that Riggs' films were produced with money from the National Endowment for the Arts.
On Sunday, February 21, Riggs' last film, “Black is, Black Ain’t”, which had to be completed by his co-director and friends due to his untimely death in 1994 will be featured. In one of the most gripping scenes of the film Riggs offers up this quote from his hospital bed:
"As long as I have work then I'm not going to die, cause work is a living spirit in me-that which wants to connect with other people and pass on something to them which they can use in their own lives and grow from".
For more info on the festival click here.
Watch clips of Riggs' amazing work and the impact of his legacy below:
3 Comments:
Thanks, Darian, for spreading the word.
February 17, 2010 12:49 PM
That is awesome news! Long overdue! As well as Essex Hemphill. LOVE both of those guy.
February 18, 2010 9:35 AM
This is fabulous. I hope this makes it to my area. Many black gay males coming along today have no clue about the legendary ground work that was started by people like Marlon and Essex. I'm glad to see this.
February 19, 2010 6:51 AM
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