Ruby Dee

An interview with film scholar Mia Mask, co-editor of Poitier Revisited.

In this open-letter style documentary, Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis' rich lives guide their grandson on his personal quest to master lasting love, conscious art, and undying activism.

The widows of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and how they carry on as single mothers after the assassination of their husbands.

The film chronicles the life and revolutionary times of death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Главный герой — трепло, каких свет не видывал. И вот однажды этот говорливый персонаж узнаёт, что ему осталось произнести вслух ровно тысячу слов, после чего он обязательно умрёт...

Lorie Walker is a small town girl whose big dreams of becoming a dancer come true when she becomes a star in the Hip-Hop video world. But she soon learns the hard way that life in front of the camera is not as glamorous as it seems.

Politics makes strange bedfellows, but never stranger than when a sexy, savvy, African-American conservative Republican reluctantly falls for his Democratic counterpart: a beautiful Indian-American Obama campaign volunteer. Sparks fly, tempers flare, heads turn, and romance blossoms for this mismatched pair of lovers in the frantic and intoxicating days leading up to Election Day. Can the politics of love conquer all?

In this film, childhood friends come face to face with the demons of rock and roll (lust, drugs, and passion) on a cross-country road trip that compels them to face their past, present, and future. Rocker Spyder, whose debut album was a huge hit saw his follow-on album bomb, causing him to retreat to his small hometown and give up. Seven years later, 27-year-old Spyder reconnects with his long-lost best friend and writer of his debut album Eric, son of a late great punk rock guitar legend, who has long settled into the sedate life of a suburban middle school music teacher. The reunion forces the two to recall their youthful ambitions and re-examine the choices they've made.

Он один из полумиллиона брошенных детей Америки. В его судьбе нет ничего примечательного и так может остаться навсегда... и чаще всего так и случается... в двух случаях из десяти. Но Америке повезло... нет, не стране, а мальчику по имени Америка. Ему помогли перешагнуть рубеж отчаяния, те кто бы рядом с ним... нет, не родители, а новообретённые друзья из подросткового приюта: Лиза и чуткий врач-психолог Морин Бреннэн. Ведь тяжесть содеянного им тяжела для столь юной души.

Елизавета, первокурсница колледжа, начинает вдруг осознавать, что она лесбиянка и это притом, что она воспитана в строгой католической семье. Лори, только начинает отношения с молодым тренером её сына, однако бывший муж пытается использовать это против нее. А пожилая вдова Дорис, после долгих лет одиночества, наконец-то встретила нового человека. Фильм объединяет три истории вместе, исследуя сходства, которые соединяют трёх очень разных женщин, которые встретились в парной местного спортзала.

После смерти хозяина, Фрэнк Лукас, тихий водитель гарлемского преступного авторитета, решает создать собственную криминальную империю. Его специальность — героин, который он ввозит напрямую из Юго-Восточной Азии. Лукас считает себя бизнесменом и конкурирует с другими группировками по всем правилам рыночной экономики, предлагая более качественный продукт по более низкой цене. Зарабатывая миллион долларов в день и придерживаясь однажды установленных для себя правил игры, он становится идолом для всего Гарлема, но по следам Фрэнка уже идёт Ричи Робертс — редкий для Нью-Йорка образец честного полицейского, ненавидимого коллегами.

Two Hollywood filmmakers attempt to find Morgan Freeman in Mississippi and convince him to star in their next movie. When life gets in their way they soon discover what matters to them most.

This documentary captures the sounds and images of a nearly forgotten era in film history when African American filmmakers and studios created “race movies” exclusively for black audiences. The best of these films attempted to counter the demeaning stereotypes of black Americans prevalent in the popular culture of the day. About 500 films were produced, yet only about 100 still exist. Filmmaking pioneers like Oscar Micheaux, the Noble brothers, and Spencer Williams, Jr. left a lasting influence on black filmmakers, and inspired generations of audiences who finally saw their own lives reflected on the silver screen.

A retrospective look at the career of Paul Robeson and his legacy as both an American and a citizen of the world.

A documentary on the career of William Greaves, featuring Greaves, his wife and co-producer Louise Archambault, actor Ruby Dee, filmmaker St. Clair Bourne, and film scholar Scott MacDonald. Released within Criterion's Symbiopsychotaxiplasm set.

A matriarch organizes a feast with her family, in which she will name her successor. The heart has gone out of Nanna Maria's family. There are no parties — they don't even fight anymore...

В шестнадцать лет Дженни Старкс вышла замуж за фермера — человека состоятельного, но намного старше себя: такова была воля бабушки. Вторым её мужем стал мэр маленького городка. Оба брака были неудачными. Но судьба подарила Дженни встречу с молодым бесшабашным парнем Кексом. Она страстно влюбилась и, бросив все, поехала с ним искать свое счастье.

Discover how television has reflected the African American experience in this retrospective of the medium's first half-century. Actors, writers and historians discuss the image of black America on television from Amos and Andy to the present day. The interviews accompany clips from groundbreaking shows and performances by entertainment pioneers that create a timeline of the portrayal of African Americans throughout TV history.

Beah: A Black Woman Speaks is a 2003 documentary about the life of Academy Award nominated actress Beah Richards. Directed by Lisa Gay Hamilton, it won the Documentary Award at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival in 2003.

When the Civil War ended in 1865, more than four million slaves were set free. Over 70 years later, the memories of some 2,000 slave-era survivors were transcribed and preserved by the Library of Congress. These first-person anecdotes, ranging from the brutal to the bittersweet, have been brought to vivid life in this unique HBO documentary special, featuring the on-camera voices of over a dozen top African-American actors.

Panel discussion about the original Broadway production of Lorraine Hansbury's "A Raisin in the Sun."

A true story about a concerned housewife, Pat Melancon, who tries to block Shintech, a massive Japanese petrochemical conglomerate, from building a plant in her toxic township already known as "cancer alley". Pat and a few newly recruited, fledgling activitsts face the full force of Shintech's wealth and influence peddling, which has bought the cooperation of the government from the local level all the way up to the Governor's office.

Set in nineteenth-century New Orleans, the story depicts the gens de couleur libre, or the Free People of Colour, a dazzling yet damned class caught between the world of white privilege and black oppression.

When an 11 year old boy gets cut from his Little League baseball team, he sets out to form his own team.

История взаимоотношений пожилого еврея-владельца магазина и маленького негритянского мальчика, разворачивающая в эпоху Вьетнамской войны. Абель Шеддик переживает утрату своего сына, но все же соглашается присмотреть за девятилетним Херманом. Они совершенно разные, но между ними все же устанавливаются дружеские отношения, помогающие обоим пережить тяжелые моменты жизни...

For the millennium New Year, Steven Spielberg agreed to create a 21 minute montage, supported by powerful narrations. It was a one-time performance. It tracks the good and the bad of our United States as it traveled through the ending century and millennium.

Tells the story of Sadie and Bessie Delany, two African-American (they preferred "colored") sisters who both lived past the age of 100. They grew up on a North Carolina college campus, the daughters of the first African-American Episcopal bishop, who was born a slave, and a woman with an inter-racial background. With the support of each other and their family, they survived encounters with racism and sexism in their own different ways. Sadie quietly and sweetly broke barriers to become the first African-American home-ec teacher in New York City, while Bessie, with her own brand of outspokenness, became the second African-American dentist in New York City. At the ages of 103 and 101, they told their story to Amy Hill Hearth, a white New York Times reporter who published an article about them. The overwhelming response launched a bestselling book, a Broadway play, and this film.

Доктор Елена Киндер готова к тому, чтобы править миром. Ее двухлетний сын Слай - единственная помеха на этом пути. Доктор Киндер и ее партнер доктор Хип работают в секретной лаборатории, пытаясь раскрыть код секретного языка младенцев. Когда Слай сбегает из лаборатории, он присоединяется к брату-близнецу Уиту с целью разоблачить их. Воспитанного дядей наивного Уита быстро схватывают. Слая, ошибочно принятого за Уита, забирает дядя. Слай сплачивает остальных приемных детей и организовывает отряд по спасению с целью вторгнуться в лабораторию и помешать доктору Киндер воплотить свой коварный план.

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand presents the life and achievements of an extraordinary man. Athlete, singer, and scholar, Robeson was also a charismatic champion of the rights of the poor working man, the disfranchised and people of color. He led a life in the vanguard of many movements, achieved international acclaim for his music and suffered tremendous personal sacrifice. His story is one of the great dramas of the 20th century, spanning an international canvas of social upheaval and ideological controversy.

A true story of a priest (Andre Braugher) in New Orleans who formed a group of black players and challenged an all-white prep school basketball team in the 1960's. Eventually events like these signaled the pivotal turn in the games' history leading to the integration in today's sport. Directed by Steve James (Hoop Dreams), these basketball players didn't just make shots, they made history.

This intimate, uncannily moving documentary profiles Norma Canner, a pioneer in dance movement therapy, who found in dance a way to help people who had been discarded by society. The film traces the evolution of Norma's career from Broadway actress in the '40s, through her ground-breaking work in creative movement with disabled and mentally retarded children in the '60s, to her present work as a dance therapist with adults. Utilizing drawing, music, theater, and dance in the context of other modes of therapy, her work has proved extraordinarily beneficial for handicapped individuals, as well as providing cathartic healing experiences for those with deep emotional scars; And her work with children who were blind, deaf, or autistic has became a model.

The story of three items left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: a pencil holder, a sheriff's badge, and an electric guitar. Each item connects the living with the dead and are left as either memorials or to heal the wounds of war.

Когда Энабел загадала желание о том, чтобы у нее появилась добрая фея, она и представить себе не могла, что его имя будет Мюррэй. Очень скоро Энабел понимает, что у Мюррэя нет никакого опыта с детьми, зато отговорок хоть отбавляй. Энабел и недотепа Мюррэй втягиваются в уморительно смешной круговорот волшебных событий и приключений, а спасти папу девочки необходимо до полуночи. Им приходится сразиться со злой ведьмой и вернуть волшебную палочку, чтобы мир снова стал таким, где желания могут сбываться.

HBO (in association with the American Film Institute) presents this 1997 anthology, narrated by Liev Schreiber, which looks at sports in cinema from the earliest silent films until the nineties. Watch not for dramatic scenes but for the glimpse of historical figures shown both cinematic and athletic- in this tribute to the merging of sports and Hollywood.

James Mink is a black man in Canada who has built a very successful livery business, and enjoys a white wife and a beautiful daughter, Mary. An excellent match is arranged with an American businessman, but when he takes his new wife Mary across the border his true character emerges - he sells her into slavery. James and Elizabeth must go to Virginia to rescue their daughter.

A moving and uplifting drama about the effects of interracial marriage in the 1960s. Friends since childhood, and loved by both families, this couple are exiled after their wedding and have to wage a courageous battle to find their place in America as a loving family.

В болотах Флориды находят зверски убитую девочку. В убийстве обвиняют Бобби Эрла Фергюсона. В то время, как этот человек, которому грозит электрический стул, находится в камере смертников, гарвардский профессор Пол Армстронг пытается еще раз расследовать это преступление.Все глубже проникает он в сплетение расизма, интриг и преступлений, однако истина оказывается страшнее самых худших его предположений…

Tuesday Morning Ride is based on the short story "A Summer Tragedy" by Arna Bontemps, a Harlem Renaissance writer. Set in the 1930s, the story depicts an old man and woman -- he a stroke victim, she blind -- who feel they have nothing to live for since their children do not visit. They decide to put on their finest clothing and take a final ride in their car -- with no turning back. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.

When Helene Angel walks home from school with her older brother she is attacked by a street gang and painted white. The effect on Helene and her family is devastating. Helene locks herself in her room, her brother blames himself for not having successfully defended his sister, and the media descends on their neighborhood, completely disrupting her small family. But an outpouring of love and understanding from Helene's friends, classmates and family helps her face what has happened and draws the community together. Inspired by actual events, WHITEWASH conveys a powerful message that transcends age and race, told in an entertaining way perfect for children of all ages.

Восьмилетний чернокожий Девин становится свидетелем преступления наркомафии. Он соглашается рассказать обо всем полиции, если ему разрешат подежурить в патрульной машине и дадут настоящие полицейские атрибуты — значок и наручники. Напарником Девина становится опытный полицейский МакКена, не имеющий большого опыта общения с детьми и поэтому с трудом выносящий восторженного мальчишку…

Follows the story of Ernest Green, one of the Little Rock Nine who were the first blacks to integrate into an all white school.

From Amos 'n' Andy to Nat King Cole, from Roots to The Cosby Show, black people have played many roles on primetime television. Brilliantly weaving clips from classic TV shows with commentary from TV producers, black actors and scholars, Marlon Riggs blends humor, insight, and thoughtful analysis to explore the evolution of black/white relations as reflected by America's favorite addiction.

Family - Set in Harlem in 1919, two girls - one white, one black - form a lifelong friendship through a chance encounter and the jazztime music of young "Fats" Waller.

Жил-был преуспевающий архитектор по имени Флиппер Пьюрифай. Все в жизни Флиппера складывалось как надо: красавица-жена, интересная работа, преданные друзья… О чем, казалось бы, еще можно мечтать молодому, привлекательному человеку? Но все разительными образом изменилось в тот момент, когда в офисе Флиппера появилась новая сотрудница — очаровательная Энджи. Бастионы верного мужа пали, и чернокожий счастливчик Флиппер сдался на милость белолицей победительнице, буквально утонув в ее прекрасных глазах. То была встреча с самой Судьбой, но госпожа эта никогда и ничего не гарантирует…

A cantankerous widower (Garner) who is virtually living the life of a recluse is forced to rejoin his community when his Godchild (Skaggs) gets in trouble and a childhood friend (Cobbs), a black tenant farmer, refuses to belatedly accept a Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in World War II.

A film about the early life of the baseball star in the army, particulary his court-martial for insubordination regarding segragation.

Гарри Доббс — частный детектив. Его очередная клиентка — шикарная дама, которая поручает Доббсу следить за бывшим мужем и выяснить, кто его новая пассия. В первый день слежки Доббс принимает постороннего мужчину за свой «объект» и выясняет массу провокативных подробностей его жизни. Параллельно ревнивая подруга детектива нанимает начинающего сыщика Стеллу, чтобы следить за Доббсом…

A celebration of the life of Zora Neale Hurston, who was born at the turn of the 20th Century and grew to be an important voice with her written portrayals of Black American life in the rural south of the 1930's and 40's, and the stories, songs and folklore that were her heritage and inspiration.

The Behind-the-Scenes documentary of the dramatic comedy Do the Right Thing.

В Нью-Йорке стоит невыносимая жара. Плавится асфальт, автомобили раскалились до температуры доменных печей, а изможденные люди, обливаясь потом, мечтают провести остаток дня под струями холодного душа… Одновременно с тем, как столбик термометра безжалостно ползет вверх, кровь жителей Бруклина постепенно начинает вскипать. Обычно хорошо спрятанные нетерпимость, агрессия и жестокость неудержимо просятся наружу, и «поступать правильно» уже никак не получается. А посему милая, старая, уютная итальянская пиццерия «У Сэла» превращается к исходу дня в настоящее поле боя.

This film adaptation of James Baldwin's celebrated novel tells the journey of a family from the rural South to "big city" Harlem seeking both salvation and understanding and of a young boy struggling to earn the approval of a self-righteous and often unloving stepfather.

Когда-то, в незапамятные времена, мужчины отдавали девушек из своего племени в жертву леопардам. Так появились на свет люди-кошки. Внешне они ничем не отличаются от обычных людей, но время от времени превращаются в животных и склонны к насилию. Брат и сестра, чьи родители умерли странной смертью, встречаются в Нью-Орлеане после долгой разлуки. Девушка устраивается на работу в зоопарк и узнает, что в городе появился леопард-убийца.

Big city judge Parke Denison is involved in a forced busing dispute at the climax of his long career. The friendship between two families -- one white, one black -- and their sons, who are buddies, provides the microcosm of this major social issue that has been argued for several decades.

Based on writer Maya Angelou's eloquent reminiscences of her days as a gifted youngster growing up in the South during the Depression years where she and her older brother were raised by their grandmother after the divorce of their parents.

An American musician working in Nigeria becomes involved with a patriot hunted by a mercenary in Africa.

A drama which examines the enduring nature of love between a white man and a black woman in 1918 South Carolina.

This movie details the struggles of former Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella to adapt to life in a wheelchair following his crippling automobile accident in 1959. Cinematographer Ted Voigtlander was Emmy-nominated.

An aspiring dancer and her two wicked sisters resent their mother's love for a foster daughter.

Дикий Запад. Гражданская война только что закончилась и чернокожие получили долгожданную свободу, а вместе с ней и право на владение собственной землёй. Человек по имени Бак занимается тем, что проводит бывших рабов через опасные территории к заветной земле. Это совсем не нравится вчерашним рабовладельцам, поля которых опустели от дешевой рабочей силы. Дабы вернуть чернокожих обратно, они нанимают бандитов. Бак встречает человека, зовущего себя Проповедник, вместе с которым он будет противостоять головорезам.

A mosaic biopic on Lorraine Hansberry, based on the stage play combining her unpublished writings, letters, and diaries.

Examines the history and purpose of the "merit system" used by the U.S. Civil Service in hiring and promoting Federal Government workers. Shows how the system impacts jobs and career prospects for women and minorities.

A rape case opens racial divisions in a small town. A black sheriff and his white deputy investigate allegations that a wealthy white businessman raped a black college student.

Constructed from a wealth of archival footage, the documentary follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1955 to 1968, in his rise from regional activist to world-renowned leader of the Civil Rights movement. Rare footage of King's speeches, protests, and arrests are interspersed with scenes of other high-profile supporters and opponents of the cause, punctuated by heartfelt testimonials by some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

The murder of a journalist, coming shortly after the killings of a black teenager and a white cop, threatens to inflame passions in the city. To prevent a riot, Lieutenant Sam Danforth and District Attorney Leslie Washburn are determined to find the killer, even though they do not exactly get along with each other and disagree over procedure.

Black militants building up an arsenal of weapons in preparation for a race war are betrayed by one of their own.

Black militants building up an arsenal of weapons in preparation for a race war are betrayed by one of their own.

В ночном нью-йоркском метро два хулигана вваливаются в один из полупустых вагонов и начинают третировать пассажиров. Одни, парализованные страхом перед отморозками, нервно ждут своей остановки, другие, молча, наблюдают со стороны и не решаются вмешаться. Но очередь дошла до каждого, и ночная поездка превратилась в настоящий террор, который надо было найти смелость остановить.

A young, idealistic man returns home to the plantation where he grew up in servitude. With him, he brings his fiance, Lutiebelle, in hopes of convincing the plantation owner that she is really his cousin in order to secure the family inheritance. To aid in the comic complications that follow are his family members Missy and Gitlow, and the plantation owners endearing (but ineffectual) son Charlie.

Сюрреалистическая политическая сказка, действие которой развивается в выдуманном мире. Обитатели его сбрасывают правительство в результате революции. Питер Фальк искромётен в роли шефа полиции, который окопался в публичном доме и пытается оттуда влиять на ход событий. Острая сатира, направленная против государства и церкви, с великолепной актерской игрой.

Walter Lee Younger is a young man struggling with his station in life. Sharing a tiny apartment with his wife, son, sister and mother, he seems like an imprisoned man. Until, that is, the family gets an unexpected financial windfall.

This pioneering film in the history of African-American cinema, released two years before "A Raisin In The Sun", is the coming-of-age story of a Black high-school student living in a middle-class white neighborhood in the late '50s.

A British woman marries an American writer in spite of her family's disapproval and goes to live with him on a tropical island.

Will Handy grows up in Memphis with his preacher father and his Aunt Hagar. His father intends for him to use his musical gifts only in church, but he can't stay away from the music of the streets and workers. After he writes a theme song for a local politician, Gogo, a speakeasy singer, convinces Will to be her accompanist. Will is estranged from his father for many years while he writes and publishes many blues songs. At last the family is reunited when Gogo brings them to New York to see Will's music played by a symphony orchestra.

An army deserter and a black dock worker join forces against a corrupt manager.

The story of Abe Saperstein and the creation of the Harlem Globetrotters.

A detective tries to prevent the assassination of President-elect Abraham Lincoln during a train ride headed for Washington in 1861.

Братья Биддл ранены в ноги при ограблении бензоколонки. После ареста их доставляют в тюремное отделение окружной больницы. Рей Биддл, бешеный расист, не желает получать медицинскую помощь от чернокожего доктора Лютера Брукса. При оказании помощи брат Джон умирает. Рей обвиняет Брукса в преднамеренном убийстве, и охваченный местью, грозит отомстить ему и всему негритянскому кварталу. Но в городе кроме белого расизма, существует черный, и создавшаяся ситуация быстро скатывается к насилию.

Biography of Jackie Robinson, the first black major league baseball player in the 20th century. Traces his career in the negro leagues and the major leagues.

U.S. Army training film about avoiding venereal disease, intended primarily for Black servicemen.

Featuring the swinging sounds of the all-woman band The International Sweethearts of Rhythm and a young Ruby Dee, the 1946 musical showcases tenderness in romance and community through a series of musical numbers. The loosely connected plot follows film producers hoping to cast a stand-out actress for their next film.

In 1963 a group of young Black boys living in Harlem were involved in an incident that earned them the nickname "The Harlem Six." Intent on protecting and clearing the names of their sons, several mothers bonded together to make their story known. This work emerges as a powerful close up of police brutality, and of power dynamics of 1960's Harlem.