Julie Dash's 'Daughters of the Dust' (1991)
Her Head in FilmsMay 22, 202402:02:36

Julie Dash's 'Daughters of the Dust' (1991)

In this episode, I'm talking about Julie Dash's 1991 film Daughters of the Dust. This is a dreamlike film that focuses on the Peazant family who live on the sea islands off the coast of the Carolinas. They gather together for one last time on the eve of their departure from the island. It's a stunning cinematic achievement that looks at the bonds of family, the ghosts of history, and the rich lives of African American women. Dash has the distinction of being the first black woman to direct a feature film that was distributed in movie theaters. I talk all about this gorgeous film, including the grueling process of getting it made and I use an interview between Dash and feminist scholar, bell hooks, as a roadmap through the different themes and subjects that the film explores.  There are spoilers in this episode.


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Full show notes:

• Beyonce's Lemonade (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade_(Beyonc%C3%A9_album))
• Black Lives Matter (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lives_Matter)
• My episode on Moonlight (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/835f578f)
• My episode on Losing Ground (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/985a4706)
• Cane River (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_River_(film))
• Hale County This Morning, This Evening (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hale_County_This_Morning,_This_Evening)
• Just Another Girl on the I.R.T (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Another_Girl_on_the_I.R.T.)
• Eve's Bayou (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve%27s_Bayou)
• Agnes Varda box set (https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/3432-the-complete-films-of-agn-s-varda)
• Three Colors Blue box set (https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/844-three-colors)
• My episode on Vagabond (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/80f156f2)
• My episode on Cleo from 5 to 7 (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/91b8f47e)
• My episode on The Gleaners and I (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-95-agnes-vardas-the-gleaners-and)
• Gullah Gullah Island (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah_Gullah_Island)
• James Van Der Zee (http://www.howardgreenberg.com/artists/james-van-der-zee)
• "Why Are There So Few Black Directors in the Criterion Collection" (The New York Times) (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/20/movies/criterion-collection-african-americans.html)
• Milestone Films (https://milestonefilms.com/)
• Kino (https://www.kinolorber.com/)
• Merchant Ivory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_Ivory_Productions)
• Joaquin Sorolla (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaqu%C3%ADn_Sorolla)
• Dee Rees (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dee_Rees)
• Alison Saar (https://nmwa.org/exhibitions/alison-saar-print/)

My Sources:

• Daughters of the Dust blu-ray (http://www.cohenmedia.net/films/daughters-of-the-dust)
• Daughters of the Dust: The Making of an African American Woman's Film by Julie Dash, bell hooks, Toni Cade Bambara (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51415.Daughters_of_the_Dust)
• "Julie Dash to Direct Angela Davis biopic" (Women and Hollywood) (https://womenandhollywood.com/julie-dash-to-direct-angela-davis-biopic/)