Black Is... Black Ain't
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Christiane Badgely
Barbara A Smith
Yvette Flunder
Angela Davis
Larry Duckette
Linda Tillery
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
White Americans have long stereotyped African Americans. But equally devastating to Black people's sense of themselves have been the definitions of "Blackness" African Americans impose on each other. But is there an essential Black identity? Is there a real Black man and a true Black woman? This groundbreaking documentary boldly and publicly challenges sexism, homophobia, patriarchy, cultural nationalism and other practices that flatten, reduce, and contain the lives and experiences of African Americans. It mixes fragments of dance, music, and poetry with the testimony of those who have felt uncomfortable and even silenced within the race because their complexion, class, gender, speech, or sexuality has rendered them "not Black enough," or conversely, "too Black."
Cast
Barbara A Smith
Yvette Flunder
Angela Davis
Larry Duckette
Linda Tillery
Essex Hemphill
Michele Wallace
Andrea Woods
Marlon T Riggs
Eric Gupton
Maulana Karenga
Bill T. Jones
Wayne T Corbitt
Wayson R Jones
Cornel West
Djola Bernard Branner
Bell Hooks
Crew
Nicole Atkinson
Nicole Atkinson
Christiane Badgely
Carroll Parrott Blue
Angela Davis
Jasmine Dellal
Valerie Grim
Essex Hemphill
Bell Hooks
Maulana Karenga
Bob Paris
Marlon T Riggs
Robert Shepard
Robert Shepard
Sekou Shepard
Barbara A Smith
Michele Wallace
Mary Watkins
Cornel West
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1995 (Shown at Seattle International Film Festival May 18 - June 11, 1995.)
Released in United States January 1995 (Shown at Sundance Film Festival (in competition) in Park City, Utah January 19-29, 1995.)
Released in United States January 21, 1996 (Nuart; Los Angeles)
Winner of the Board of Directors Best Documentary Award at the 1995 Sinking Creek Film Festival.
Winner of the Filmmakers Trophy in the documentary category at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival.
Released in United States 1995
Released in United States December 1994
Released in United States February 1995
Released in United States January 1995
Released in United States January 21, 1996
Released in United States July 1995
Released in United States July 28, 1995
Released in United States June 1994
Released in United States June 1995
Released in United States March 1995
Released in United States May 1994
Released in United States May 1995
Released in United States November 1995
Released in United States October 11, 1995
Released in United States September 29, 1995
Released in United States Spring May 5, 1995
Shown at Atlanta Film & Video Festival June 8-20, 1994.
Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (Panorama) February 9-20, 1995.
Shown at Cleveland International Film Festival March 30 - April 9, 1995.
Shown at Film Arts Festival in San Francisco November 1-5 & 10, 1995.
Shown at International Gay & Lesbian Pride Film Festival in Tampa, FL September 29 - October 8, 1995.
Shown at London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival March 18-31, 1995.
Shown at New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival June 1-11, 1995.
Shown at New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival May 12-22, 1994.
Shown at OUTFEST '95: The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival July 6-16, 1995.
Shown at Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival July 6-16, 1995.
Shown at San Francisco International Film Festival April 20 - May 4, 1995.
Shown at Seattle International Film Festival May 18 - June 11, 1995.
Released in United States 1995 (Shown at Cleveland International Film Festival March 30 - April 9, 1995.)
Released in United States 1995 (Shown at International Gay & Lesbian Pride Film Festival in Tampa, FL September 29 - October 8, 1995.)
Released in United States 1995 (Shown at San Francisco International Film Festival April 20 - May 4, 1995.)
Shown at Sinking Creek Film Festival in Nashville, Tennessee November 6-12, 1995.
Shown at Sundance Film Festival (in competition) in Park City, Utah January 19-29, 1995.
Filmmaker Marlon T. Riggs died of AIDS on April 5, 1994 at the age of 37.
Poet and performance artist Essex Hemphill died of AIDS on November 4, 1995 at the age of 38.
Released in United States February 1995 (Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (Panorama) February 9-20, 1995.)
Released in United States March 1995 (Shown at London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival March 18-31, 1995.)
Released in United States May 1994 (Shown at New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival May 12-22, 1994.)
Released in United States May 1995 (Shown in Los Angeles (UCLA) as part of program "Cinematic Images of the Black Male" May 15-23, 1995.)
Released in United States Spring May 5, 1995
Released in United States June 1994 (Shown at Atlanta Film & Video Festival June 8-20, 1994.)
Released in United States June 1994 (Shown in New York City (Anthology Film Archives) as part of program "25 Years of Exposure" June 17-23, 1994.)
Released in United States June 1995 (Shown at New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival June 1-11, 1995.)
Released in United States July 1995 (Shown at OUTFEST '95: The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival July 6-16, 1995.)
Released in United States July 1995 (Shown at Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival July 6-16, 1995.)
Released in United States July 28, 1995 (Seattle)
Released in United States September 29, 1995 (San Diego)
Released in United States October 11, 1995 (Film Forum; New York City)
Released in United States November 1995 (Shown at Film Arts Festival in San Francisco November 1-5 & 10, 1995.)
Released in United States November 1995 (Shown at Sinking Creek Film Festival in Nashville, Tennessee November 6-12, 1995.)
Released in United States December 1994 (Shown in New York City (MOMA) as part of program "Marlon Riggs" December 2-4, 1994.)
