The Academy of Fine Arts will launch the first in a series of documentary film and lecture presentations on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. with the screening of "Oscar Micheaux - The Czar of Black Hollywood." The evening will include an in-person lecture by the film's producer and director, Bayer Mack.
"It's hard to exaggerate Oscar Micheaux's importance in the history of American cinema," said Academy Executive Director David Jenkins. "He was a genuine pioneer and broke down barriers for every Black filmmaker that came after him, and yet so few people know anything about him, or even his name."
This is a story for everyone interested in independent film, one of courage and perseverance, and one that every serious student of film should know and salute. It's a quintessentially American story and a tale of entrepreneurial spirit against incredible odds.
Born in 1884 as the son of freed slaves, Micheaux became the first African American to produce a feature film "The Homesteader, 1919), to produce a talking picture (The Exile, 1931), to write, direct and distribute feature films across the nation, and to have his work open in white theatres. The author of seven books, Micheaux was also the first "colored writer" to pen a nationwide best-selling novel.
Present for the Academy's screening of "Oscar Micheaux - The Czar of Black Hollywood" will be the film's writer, director and producer, Bayer Mack, owner of the record label Block Starz Music.
Mack will tell his story of devoting years and resources to the creation of this new documentary after finding very little consciousness of Micheaux in contemporary popular culture for more than a half century. Digging deeply into the Library of Congress to find rare archived footage, photos, illustrations and vintage music, Mr. Mack created a fascinating and moving film that all serious fans of cinema and armchair cultural historians will find fascinating.
Tickets are available starting at just $5. For more informatioin and to purchase, visit AcademyFineArts.com
