Homecoming is the first film to explore the rural roots of African-American life. It chronicles the generations-old struggle of African Americans for land of their own, which pitted them against both the Southern white power structure and the federal agencies responsible for helping them. Director Charlene Gilbert weaves this history together with a fond portrait of her own Georgia farming family into what she calls, "A story of land and love." Dir. Charlene Gilbert, Runtime: 56 minutes Dirt and Deeds in Mississippi uncovers the largely unknown and pivotal role played by Black landowning families in the deep South who controlled over a million acres in the 1960s. They were prepared to put their land and their lives on the line in the fight for racial equality and the right to vote in America’s most segregated and violently racist state. In the face of escalating terror, Black landowners and independent farmers provided safe havens, collateral for jail bonds, armed protection, and locations for Freedom Schools. Dir. David Shulman, Runtime: 82 minutes
New York City, NY; NYC