Sweet Black Film: The Birth of the Black Hero in Hollywood
In 1971, director Melvin Van Peebles turned the figure of the black hero in US cinema upside down with Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song: the story of the making of a…
Peeples
The story follows what happens when a child psychologist surprises his girlfriend by showing up at her political family’s annual get-together at their Sag Harbor vacation home only to find…
American Swing
Chronicles the rise and fall of 1970s New York City nightclub Plato’s Retreat.
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
Melvin Van Peebles was one of the first black directors to challenge the white establishment in his films, which include “Watermelon Man” and “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.” In this documentary,…
The Hebrew Hammer
When a psychotic Santa tries to destroy Chanukah by hypnotizing Jewish children with bootlegged copies of the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” it’s up to the Hebrew Hammer to…
Calm at Sunset
Drama about a young man who defies his parents by dropping out of college to pursue his dream of owning a fishing boat, following in the footsteps of his father…
Terminal Velocity
A maverick skydiver and a former KGB agent team up to stop the Russian mafia from stealing gold.
True Identity
In order to escape from the mob, an African-American man must disguise himself as a white man.
Wattstax
A documentary film about the Afro-American Woodstock concert held in Los Angeles seven years after the Watts riots. Director Mel Stuart mixes footage from the concert with footage of the…
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song
After saving a Black Panther from some racist cops, a black male prostitute goes on the run from “the man” with the help of the ghetto community and some disillusioned…