Jul 1—4

In February of 2004 when we screened Afro-Punk to sold-out houses, we knew that we had to bring it back to BAM. Now, Afro-Punk returns, along with a whole Fourth of July weekend’s worth of films about black politics, music, and revolution. And be sure to check out the live music and much more here at BAM. Co-presented with Afro-Punk, and co-curated by James Spooner.

The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973) 102min
with Hairpiece: A Film for Nappy Headed People (1984) 10min
Fri, Jul 1 at 2pm
Sun, Jul 3 at 9:15pm

The Spook Who Sat by the Door:
Directed by Ivan Dixon
With Lawrence Cook, Paula Kelly
Cook plays the only black operative in the CIA; ridiculed by his peers, he quits the agency to put his military training to use in the streets. Extremely controversial upon release, the poses serious questions about how to affect change, all within the context of a kick-ass 70s action flick.

Hairpiece: A Film for Nappy Headed People
Directed by Ayoka Chenzira
An animated satire about how a woman's hair affects your social status.

Downtown 81 (1981) 104min with My Picture in the Movies...Baby, Rock for Light, and Re-Ignition
Fri, Jul 1 at 4:30pm
Sat, Jul 2 at 9:15pm
Directed by Edo Bertoglio
With Jean Michel Basquiat
Basquiat plays himself in this film about a homeless street artist in the East Village, wandering into bars and punk rock clubs. On the way he encounters a virtual who’s who of the downtown music and art scene in 1980 New York.
With My Picture in the Movies...Baby, Rock for Light, and Re-Ignition
Directed by Nicola Lanzenberg
A trio of films featuring Bad Brains in concert, including a performance at CBGB’s in 1980.

Afro-Punk (2003) 65min
with Cry For Jazz (1959) 35min
Fri, Jul 1 at 6:50pm*
Sat, Jul 2 at 2pm
Sun, Jul 3 at 6:50pm
Mon, Jul 4 at 6:50pm
*Q&A with James Spooner, followed by free opening night party featuring the live music of Apollo Heights, Kudu, Cutlery, and DJs Dustbin Brothers.

Afro-Punk:
Directed by James Spooner
Channeling the raw sound of punk rock rebellion, Afro-Punk explores race identity within the punk scene. The documentary tackles hard issues such as loneliness, exile, interracial dating, and black power. Cutting between interviews and live concert footage, the film follows the lives of four people who have dedicated themselves to the punk rock lifestyle.

Cry For Jazz:
Directed by Edward Bland
A filmic essay on the nature of jazz and its eventual death, featuring the only known footage of Sun Ra in his Chicago days.

Wilmington 10, USA 10,000 (1979) 120min
Fri, Ju1 at 9:30pm
Mon, Jul 4 at 2pm
Directed by Haile Gerima
A highly acclaimed documentary about the incendiary “Wilmington Ten,” nine black men and one white woman imprisoned in North Carolina. This film focuses on the “Ten” themselves during their incarceration as well as their families and neighbors and other political prisoners such as Assata Shakur. A gripping and intense look at an overlooked period in history.

Wattstax (1973) 98min
Sat, Jul 2 at 4:30pm
Sun, Jul 3 at 4:30pm
Mon, Jul 4 at 9:15pm
Directed by Mel Stuart
Staged as a massive day-long concert in 1972 after the Watts riots, Stax brought out the stars for this show, including Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, and Rufus Thomas. But what elevates the movie to greatness is live-wire Richard Pryor, the musicians’ interactions with the audience (“Yeah, he’s a brother all right, but I’ll be damned if he’s my brother...”), and the awe-inspiring round of “I Am Somebody.”

Child of Resistance (1972) 57min
With shorts: Perfect Film (1985) 21min; Now (1965) 6min
Sat, Jul 2 at 6:50pm

Child of Resistance:
Directed by Haile Gerima
Gerima’s first feature-length film, inspired by a dream about Angela Davis, is about a black woman incarcerated “not for any crime...unconditionally.” A loose, experimental film that shows off Gerima’s early style.

Perfect Film:
Directed by Ken Jacobs
An experimental work structured around outtakes from TV news footage after the assassination of Malcolm X.

Now:
Directed by Santiago Alvarez
Set to a Lena Horne song that was banned in America, Alvarez uses found and pirated newsreel footage to create an intensely emotional commentary on racism.

Black Is, Black Ain’t (1994) 87min
Sun, Jul 3 at 2pm
Directed by Marlon Riggs
Black Is, Black Ain’t addresses notions of what it means to be black in today’s society. Using witty segments entitled “What Is Black,” “Too Black,” and “Not Black Enough,” interviews with important figures such as Cornel West and Angela Davis, and clips of the director’s own battle with AIDS, Riggs shapes the film into a sobering, yet heartfelt plea for tolerance.

The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971) 88min
Off the Pig (1968) 15min
Mon, Jul 4 at 4:30pm

The Murder of Fred Hampton:
Directed by Howard Alk
This film broke open new revelations about the killing of Black Panthers leader Hampton and helped implicate the Chicago Police department in the killing. It also ignited a new generation with powerful footage of Hampton, who prophetically proclaimed “I am a revolutionary...I believe I will be able to die as a revolutionary.”

Off the Pig:
Directed by a filmmaker’s collective in the 60s and designed to spark political action, this film features rare, uncensored interviews with members of the Black Panther party.