2023 Outfest LA LGBTQ+ Film Festival

Black Feminist Film School: Character Development as Ancestral Reverence

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Stream began March 31, 2023 11:00 PM UTC
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This session will be held live via Zoom. Join the workshop here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83924486383


Workshop Description:

In this workshop, Sangodare and Alexis Pauline Gumbs will introduce the theories and practices of Black Feminist Film School. Drawing from griot traditions in the African diaspora, and from the literature, films and testimonies of Black Feminist authors and artists such as Akasha Hull, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Barbara Smith, June Jordan, Audre Lorde, Julie Dash, Pauli Murray, Cheryl Dunye, and others. Participants will enter a safe space, which will be accountable to queer people, people of color, queer people of color and those underrepresented in film and media industries. The community that gathers will have the opportunity to use the tools of Black Feminist Film School, including:


  • Our linguistic revisions on the language of film studies and film production;
  • Our approach to character development as ancestral reverence;
  • Script development as poetic transformation and prayer among community accountable artists.
  • Production as non-hierarchical collaboration among community accountable artists.


Participants will walk away from this session with at least one deeply developed character created from scratch. They will also leave with a new set of tools to continue to develop this character and others.


Presented by


About the Workshop Facilitators:

Ṣangodare is a sweet space for transformation. Ṣangodare activates Black Feminist sermonics at Mobile Homecoming Sunday Services. Sangodare was awarded the inaugural Southern Healing Star award in 2021 by BEAM. Sangodare is founder and CEO of QUIRC a QBIPOC technology company that connects our community and activates purpose. As co-founder of Black Feminist Film School Ṣangodare created Ritual Screening, an interactive film viewing technology that is grounded in Black Feminist practice and our non-linear reality. 


Alexis Pauline Gumbs is a love oracle. Drawing on over 25 years of experience as a writer and facilitator, her inclusive practice finds us and brings us into the ceremonies we need. Her books include: Undrowned, DubM Archive, and Spill. Alexis was honored with a Whiting Award in non-fiction in 2022 and a 2022 National Endowment of the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship for her forthcoming biography The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde.


Accessibility:

Automated captions will be available for live virtual workshops. To request accommodations, fill out the Accessibility Request Form, or email us at: accessibility@outfest.org with at least 48 hours notice. Visit our Accessibility page for more details.