Podcast Episode 58: Under-Appreciated Black Directors

African-American directors whose works are worth seeking out

Friday, January 29, 2016

Credit: Warner Brothers

Above: Gordon Parks was an acclaimed photojournalist for LIFE Magazine before becoming a director on films such as "The Learning Tree" and "Shaft."

Aired 1/29/16

Episode 58: Under-appreciated Black Filmmakers

A pair of black San Diego independent filmmakers talk about some under-appreciated African-American directors whose works are worth seeking out.

WARNING: Explicit language.

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Transcript for audioclip 27223

On the heels of Oscar snubbing black actors and filmmakers again, and on the eve of Black History Month, Cinema Junkie sits down with a pair of black San Diego independent filmmakers to talk about some under-appreciated African-American directors whose works are worth seeking out.

The lack of diversity in this year's Academy Award nominations is a symptom of a bigger problem, which is that the pool of films coming out of Hollywood are simply not reflecting the melting pot that is America. The Academy has plans to encourage diversity among its ranks, but will that result in more diverse nominations and in a greater diversity in the films being made?

Sanns Dixon and Dante Moran are black San Diego filmmakers. They also consume a lot of cinema. In looking at the films of 2016, they see the biggest problem is that there just weren't that many movies that explored the black experience.

Spike Lee is one African-American filmmaker who has found mainstream success and has worked both inside and outside the Hollywood system. But other black directors, including John Singleton, Kasi Lemmons and the Hughes Brothers — have made noteworthy films but have failed to consistently work within the industry.

Cinema Junkie Podcast 58 serves up a discussion about black filmmakers whose works deserve more attention.

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Beth Accomando
Arts & Culture Reporter

opening quote marks closing quote marks I cover arts and culture, from Comic-Con to opera, from pop entertainment to fine art, from zombies to Shakespeare. I am interested in going behind the scenes to explore the creative process; seeing how pop culture reflects social issues; and providing a context for art and entertainment.