I Heard It through the Grapevine

Aus der Perspektive des Jahres 1980 blickt James Baldwin auf die Zeit der Bürgerrechtsbewegung zurück, und er fährt für diesen Film auch noch einmal an viele der zentralen Orte: Birmingham, Selma, New Orleans, später dann Newark, New Jersey und Florida. Er trift Protagonist:innen, man spricht über das Erreichte und den immer noch virulenten Rassismus. Heute kann man diesen wichtigen Film als ein Dokument des Übergangs sehen: Die Zeit der „white supremacy“ ist zwar vorbei, wie Baldwin deklamiert; aber Hass und Diskriminierung formieren sich immer aufs Neue, und BlackLivesMatter setzt dort wieder an, wo Baldwin und sein Umfeld schon einmal waren. (Bert Rebhandl)

Am 24.10. in Anwesenheit von Kathy Pakay.

Dick Fontaine follows James Baldwin on an epic journey through haunted spaces of the southern US where crucial events in the fight for civil rights took place. Though Baldwin’s presence and words guide this emotional trip, he is often the one asking questions, making room for others to speak. An astonishing array of civil rights activists, leaders and writers—including his brother David—join Baldwin at the sites of traumatic turning points, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Selma and Philadelphia, Mississippi. Many places, like that of the Newark riots, remain virtually unchanged and neglected, while others, such as the former slave market in St. Augustine, Florida, lie hidden in plain sight, unacknowledged. By underlining the stories with his vast library of archival clips, Fontaine lends a graphic shock and presence to events that inevitably recall more recent crimes. Alongside the violence, Baldwin also finds wisdom and community, bravery and determination, joy and creativity. Unlike the “irrelevant” civil rights monuments Baldwin decries, this film stands as a vital, moving testament to the multitude of horrors, victories and voices that make up a complicated, endless battle. (Brittany Gravely)

On the 24th of October in the presence of Kathy Pakay.

Dick Fontaine: WILL THE REAL NORMAN MAILER PLEASE STAND UP? (1968), DOUBLE PISCES, SCORPIO RISING (1970), NORMAN MAILER V. FUN CITY (1970), DEATH OF A REVOLUTIONARY (1972, K), BEAT THIS: A HIP HOP HISTORY (1983), MALCOLM X: NO SELL OUT (1984, K), BOMBIN (1986), ART BLAKEY: THE JAZZ MESSENGER (1988), BETTY CARTER: NEW ALL THE TIME (1994, K), SONNY ROLLINS BEYOND THE NOTES (2014)