BRATTLEBORO — The lyric film Black Mother has been described as “part film, part baptism.” It chronicles director Khalik Allah's spiritual journey through the island of Jamaica.
Calling the critically praised film “a proclamation, a poem and a prayer,” Allah's film is an audio-visual love letter to Jamaica, depicted through the lens of family, Black life, and spirituality.
Says director Allah, “There's no container for this film, it overflows with intimate portraiture and prayers that are intended to hit you in the chest more than the head.” The only storyline structure is represented by the three trimesters of a woman's pregnancy and birth.
On Tuesday, June 2, at 7 p.m., author, poet, and artist Shanta Lee Gander will explore how the film's narrative is connected to our own personal narratives - commenting on the larger narrative arc, the relationship of that narrative to the setting and to the urgency of now, because, as she says, “we know nothing exists in a vacuum.”
It will be part discussion with plenty of space for individuals to bring their own experiences, thoughts, and feelings, while also illustrating examples that tie to the film. What do these narratives carry in terms of Jamaica's history, as well as our own micro histories that we bring to the viewing?
Gander is an artist and multi-faceted professional. As an artist, her endeavors include writing prose, poetry, investigative journalism, and photography. Her work can be viewed at Shantaleegander.com.