So Viola Davis Didn't Win...Your Black Women's Movie Making Fund.
Monday, February 27, 2012 at 7:00AM The Blogmother This is your Viola Davis open thread. I think the clear winner last night was Viola Davis' hair which has been liberated from unflattering wigs. If it took this OSCAR run for that to happen, then the world is a better place for it.
Here's the deal- I've said this a thousand times and now the Universe/ God is screaming it in my ear and should be screaming in yours too - "Make your own movies on your own terms with your own definition of success!" Period. If Red Tails and The Help and Madea Goes to Jail to Do a Good Deeds doesn't tell you that, then nothing will.
Not to mention, y'all are already riled up over Quentin Tarrantino's D'jango Unchained and it is not due out until December. Thank goodness I'll be busy doing other things when folks are going to be blowing up my inbox demanding that I organize a boycott ( a sign that the requester doesn't read this blog).
But it just isn't the people who are doing work that irritates this blog audience, what about the people doing work that inspires. Like the Sherwood church that created Sherwood Pictures? They produced their first film with $20,000. Now they're doing tens of millions at the box office. Will they ever win an OSCAR? NOPE, but they are getting their images and their messages on screen. And each time they make a movie, the budget get's exponentially larger. So they started out with $20,000 on Fly Wheel and then moved up to $100,000 on Facing Giants before $500,000 on Fire Proof.
So all of you people popping off at the mouth about what we need to do- spare me. Its clear what needs to happen for this blog audience to see what we want to see on the big screen. For those who want to do something today, pull out a mason jar, a piggy bank, a hallowed out book, whatever and start your Black Women's Movie making Fund.
And remember - "You is smart. You is kind. You is important!"
Still not going to see The Help.
10 Comments | Share Article
Reader Comments (10)
@Gina
Your post is well-time since this weekend's top grossing film was "Act of Valor."
http://www.deadline.com/2012/02/box-office-noon-numbers-show-act-of-valor-1-good-deeds-2-wanderlust-5/
This action flick was produced by a couple of guys who tired of seeing Hollywood portray U.S. soldiers (Black, White, male, female, etc.) as villains instead of the noble heroes many of them are. So, they decided to create an indy film "Act of Valor" starring REAL Navy SEALs. Read more here:
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2012/02/24/bh-interview-act-of-valor-directors-battle-to-change-hollywoods-false-image-of-u-s-soldiers/
These efforts have paid off since the general public clearly is in the mood for heroic U.S. troops. Conversely, critics generally hate the movie for that reasons. Yet, the strong opening combined with strong word of mouth among moviegoers indicates "Valor" has a long run ahead of it.
So, Black people must follow the lead of the producers of "Valor" by creating our own movies and stop complaining about what others are doing.
Just wanted to share information about From the Rough, a movie that has been completed starring Taraji P. Henson as real-life coach Catana Starks who was the first woman to ever coach a men's college golf team. First it was supposed to be released in Fall 2011, and then in Feb 2012, now it is being held indefinitely, while the financier Mike Critelli figures out how to make the film appeal to a "broader" audience. Apparently, one of the ideas is to remove the star, Ms. Henson from the poster. That would be Academy-award nominated Taraji P. Henson. And that would be former chairman of the Urban League Mike Critelli. With friends like these....
http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/director-pierre-bagley-finally-speaks-on-from-the-rough-release-problems-taraji-p-henson-stars
Mrs. Viola Davis put a smile on my face the moment I saw her last night. I have been facinated with her ever since I saw her NAACP speech about black characters being human. I was near tears. I happen to have natural hair and have seen the movement and natural community just blossom over the past 7 years. I was so happy to see her it a moment of her being in love with herself whether she had on a wig or not she would have still been glowing from within. That's why I couldn't stop smiling everytime I saw her.
@Kim in VA
I will have to take your word about Viola Davis. I skipped the Oscars, which have become so pompous, self-absorbed and dull that getting a root canal is more fun.
I wanted Viola to win, she is a brilliant actress and I hope that she will continue to get roles that she can get the Oscars. She looked fabulous on the red carpet.
AMEN ! for Sherrwood pictures!! many of the actors in their films are MEMBERS in their OWN CHURCH!!
And remember - \\\"You is smart. You is kind. You is important!\\\" LOL...I'm sorry, that was hilarious
WHEW..OK....Seriously though..So Viola Davis and most of the other Black women who chose to (stupidly) act in \\\"The Help\\\" , you. just. got. played. Not only did you play mammy, but you didn't even win a prize for doing so. But as mammy would say \\\"It doesn't matter, I'ze is just happy to be here\\\".
But to your point Blogmother, I agree 100% Working on it! And don't forget Brown Paper Dolls Productions with Milk + Honey. I
@zipporah
I actually met one of the Kendrick brothers and some of the cast for \\\"Fireproof\\\" after a free screening of the movie. What stunned me was how humble these guys were. Fireproof is one of the best movies I've seen yet the cast said that they are still learning to do better in filmmaking.
This is another lesson for Black filmmakers: never stop learning your craft. This ensures that your work will continue to improve creatively as well as at the box office.
Octavia won a Supporting Actress award for her role in The Help. While I am happy for her, I will also not be seeing THE HELP either.
And that D'Jango Unchained movie sounds like a mess.
Like others here, I have no interest in seeing The Help either. I do hope that Viola Davis continues to get more work. She's a very talented actress.
On another note, I will be waiting with baited breath for Django Unchained. I loved Inglorious Basterds, and the idea of Tarantino's revisionist history regarding slavery and the Old South sounds like a good one.