Riggs' film, which was completed posthumously, will receive an Atlanta premiere at Emory's Second Annual Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Film Festival, scheduled for Feb. 9-11. "Black Is" will take its place alongside a decidedly ethnically diverse slate of film makers to be presented at the festival, including a discussion and screening by film maker gregg araki (sic). Like Riggs, the other film makers address gay identity in terms of in relation to other aspects of identity, including the gay and lesbian teenager, Asian American, Latino and cinema idol.
Brown explained that on the surface Riggs' film might sound overly ambitious in its dealing with an array of issues including sexism, homophobia, classism and racism, but that its treatment of these issues reveals the film maker's skill. "He talks about community critically, but leaves it there as a viable entity so that it can be affirming for those who have been on the margins of black identity," she said. Brown, who was able to work on the film in 1992 during a break from her own research on black identity in Liverpool, England, described the two main goals that she feels the film accomplishes. "First, the film serves as a critique of the way black people have constructed a black identity of exclusivity such as the male-centered black power movement, and second, it exposes the richness of black society, from blacks in a rural area to blacks in Los Angeles, and captures the ways that black people have of being black."
"This film is an elegant piece as his last one because it brings closure to his body of work in the way that it speaks back to other works and depends on previous works," Brown explained. "This film serves to be critical and affirmative. It demonstrates the beauty of his work, brings a critical eye that doesn't flinch." During the making of the film, Riggs became seriously ill and eventually became part of the film. Brown described this as "an unfortunate necessity" that served to "contextualize the making of the film." The film will be screened at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10, in the Carlos Museum Reception Hall.
The award-winning araki will introduce and screen his latest film, "Totally F***ed Up," on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. The film maker has made three previous feature films: "Three Bewildered People in the Night," "The Long Weekend" and "The Living End," and his most recent production follows in their tradition. Araki explains that it "was shot `guerrilla'-style on the streets of [Los Angeles] and it reflects the quasi-surreal character of life here in the weird, wild, postmodern world." Araki describes "Totally F***ed Up" as "an honest, open-structured look into the lives, of gay/lesbian teens struggling with their emergent identities in the homophobic '90s."
For more information, call 727-0272. The scheduled showtimes:
--Matt Montgomery
Thursday, Feb. 9,
112 White Hall, 7 p.m.
"Carmelita Tropicana" (Ela Troyana, 1994) offers urban hilarity with the story of a Cuban American beauty queen/performance artist/lesbian avenger who hones her art while working as a lower East side building superintendent. Winner of the Best Lesbian/Gay Short at the 1994 Berlin Film Festival; "The Love Thang Trilogy" (Mari Keiko Gonzales, 1994) consists of three sensual four-minute vignettes that portray aspects of Asian-American lesbian lifestyle and concerns, including that difficult letter to mom.; "Cruel" (Desi del Valle, 1994) is a dyke drama played out in all its agony in black and white, as one half of a couple moves on the other half just can't seem to let go.; "L is For the Way You Look" (Carlomusto, 1991) is a hilarious examination of lesbian cultural icons from Dolly Parton to Martina Narvatilova.
Friday, Feb. 10
Reception Hall, Carlos Museum, 7 p.m.
"Greeting From Africa" (Dunye, 1994) the latest short story film by film maker Cheryl Dunye, presents an interracial dating comedy of errors.; "Black Is...Black Ain't" (Riggs, 1994), is the last film by Marlon Riggs, confronts the identification of "blackness" with masculinity and fires away at sexism, patriarchy and homophobia as it exists among African Americans.
Saturday, Feb. 11
101 White Hall, 7:30 p.m.
"Totally F***ed Up," the latest film by gregg araki, follows six gay and lesbian teenagers and their life in Los Angeles. The narrative follows the interconnected experiences of six racially-diverse young gay and lesbian friends. The screening will be introduced by the film maker.