Black stories told through cinema are no stranger to The Sundance Film Festival. Since emerging as one of the globe’s premiere showcases for cinematic voices, Sundance has become known for being intentional about featuring inclusive and diverse stories and giving a platform to filmmakers who reflect the people and ideas they’ve shared on screen.
It was no different for 2024 – its 40th anniversary as the Sundance Film Festival. Of the 91 features and 53 short stories showcased through January 18-28 in Park City, Utah – and all over the world through online screening opportunities –nearly 25 were the creative expression of Black filmmakers. Among them were several of the most anticipated selections from the festival. They included “Luther: Never Too Much” the Dawn Porter directed and Jamie Foxx produced Luther Vandross documentary and the Sundance debut of former first daughter Malia Obama. She was credited as Malia Ann for her short film “The Heart,” which she wrote and directed. Several more selections highlighted the Black experience.
Bao Nguyen’s “The Greatest Night In Pop” highlights a handful of Black music icons –Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder – at the behest of another (Harry Belafonte) brought together the biggest artists to record “We Are the World” to raise millions in the fight against African famine. Johan Grimonprez’s “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” interweaves the liberation of Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach, Nina Simone, John Coltrane and other jazz artists who express the demand for liberation in their music with the timeline of the Congo’s national direct action to liberate from its colonizer.
The complicated relationship between Blacks and law enforcement were explored. J.M. Harper’s “As We Speak,” details the policing of the Black voice by way of hip-hop and how caveats regarding freedom of speech with rap lyrics can have life altering ramifications. Yance Ford’s “Power,” is a deep dive into policing in Black communities and how systemic oppression and racial terror are at the root. St. Louis’ own Redditt Hudson is a featured subject matter expert in the film.
Black-centered stories were among the big winners at Sundance’s annual awards. The Sundance Institute | Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award for Nonfiction went to Toni Kamaufor “The Battle for Laikipia.” The film focuses on historical injustices and climate change that further fuels a generational conflict between natives and white landowners in Laikipia, Kenya. “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” received a World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematic Innovation. Stephen Maing and Brett Story’s film Union – chronicling a Black man’s journey leading current and former Amazon workers in New York City to organize for the sake of employee rights – received a U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change. Angela Patton and Natalie Rae’s “Daughters” won the Audience Award: U.S. Documentary. The film, which focused on a group of young girls preparing for a Daddy Daughter Dance with their fathers – who are incarcerated in Washington, D.C. and are participating in a fatherhood program that attempts to curb recidivism –also won the Festival Favorite Award.
If the awards were up to me, I would have also included “Luther: Never Too Much” and Titus Kaphar’s “Exhibiting Forgiveness” among the honorees. Porter’s intimate portrait of Vandross was a well-rounded examination that handled the controversies and challenges surrounding his life with authenticity and grace – which is a rare ability when it comes to facing hard truths and maintaining respect to certain privacies. Breathtaking performances from Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Andra Day and Andre Holland drive Kaphar’s captivating story of an artist’s unsuccessful attempt to contain his childhood trauma within the dimensions of his canvases. I would issue an honorable mention for “The Greatest Night in Pop” for capturing the moment in a manner that answered many questions for those of us who witnessed the pop culture phenomenon in real time.
