‘DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST - JULIE DASH’

In the presence of Julie Dash.

At the beginning of the 20th century several generations of the Gullah community - former West African slaves who adopted many of the Yoruba traditions of their ancestors - campaigned on the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina for the preservation of their cultural heritage and folklore. At the same time they were preparing for migration to the mainland, thereby further distancing themselves from their original roots. Daughters of the Dust was the first major cinema release by a black woman filmmaker and met with great critical acclaim when it was premiered in 1991. In cooperation with UCLA , under the supervision of the filmmaker Arthur Jaf,  Daughters of the Dust has been restored with the correct colour correction. The general public can now see the film exactly as Julie Dash intended it to be. 

Born in New York City, Julie Dash is a filmmaker, music video and commercial director, author and website creator. Her film studies began in Harlem in 1969, but eventually led her to the American Film Institute and UCLA, where she made The Diary of an African Nun (1977). Dash’s critically acclaimed short film Illusions (1982) later won the Jury Prize for Best Film of the Decade awarded by the Black Filmmakers Foundation. Dash’s first feature — Daughters of the Dust (1991) — was the first film by an African American woman to receive a general theatrical release in the United States. Her television films include “Love Song” (2000), starring R&B singer Monica Arnold, the romantic thriller “Incognito” (1999), and the domestic drama “Funny Valentines” (1999). Dash was nominated for a Directors Guild Award for “The Rosa Parks Story” (2002) starring Angela Bassett.

“Daughters of the Dust” (1992) Theatrical Release (1991) Won Best Cinematography at Sundance Film Festival, (2016) Re-Released by Cohen Media.