This is an opinion piece by a Hilltop columnist.
Homecoming is a time when we as a Howard University community celebrate our lauded institution, our alumni and the Bison who have gone on to live the motto of “truth and service” in every industry imaginable.
And, of course, this includes film and television. Filmmakers who come from Howard are using the medium to tell stories about Black identity, culture, history and inequality that mainstream entertainment often overlooks. So, when you’re worn out from the football game or Yardfest, relax and celebrate The Mecca at the same time by turning on one of these underrated films made by Howard alumni.
“Mother of George” (2013)
A feature film that follows a young Yoruba couple living in the Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City, who are struggling to conceive a child. Starring Danai Gurira as Adenike and Isaach de Bankolé as Ayodele, the film explores how the couple deals with the dissonance between the gender roles and cultural norms of Nigeria and the United States. Given the rhetoric coming from the United States government about immigrants right now, it is especially important to platform films highlighting the sacrifices they make to come here and how they enrich our communities.
“Mother of George’s” cinematographer is alumnus Bradford Young, who graduated in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree and won the Excellence in Cinematography award for his work on the film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. He was the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on the film “Arrival.” Young’s upcoming work includes Michael B. Jordan’s remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair.” “Mother of George” is available to watch for free on Tubi and Pluto TV.
“Black Star: Rebirth Is Necessary” (2017)
An experimental short film by alumna Jenn Nkiru, who graduated with her master’s degree in 2014, is the final episode of the series “Black Star,” in which rising directors share their vision of the future of the Black experience.
“This film is jazz; Black magic in motion,” Nkiru said to Nowness, the creative organization that sponsored the Black Star project.
This short is a prime example of how Black filmmakers, especially those from Howard, are beginning to decolonize the artform and break away from western narrative structures and modes of storytelling.
Nkiru is also an acclaimed music video director. Her directing credits include Beyoncé’s “Black Is King” and The Carters’ “Apeshit.” She has also created and developed music video ideas for artists including Pharrell Williams and J. Cole.
Her 2014 master’s thesis film, “En Vogue,” was shot by Young, illustrating how the university fosters creative connections that can extend well beyond graduation. “En Vogue,” is available to watch on her website.
“Grass Is Greener” (2019)
Directed by iconic New York artist Fred Brathwaite, who goes by Fab 5 Freddy, a “Grass Is Greener” is a feature documentary about the history of the United States’ complicated relationship with cannabis. It also examines what some refer to as the war on drugs, the government policies intended to control the drug’s distribution, and how those policies were shaped by racial bias.
The film’s cinematographer, Howard alumnus Hans Charles, who earned his master’s degree in 2011, has worked on other critically acclaimed documentaries such as Ava DuVernay’s “13th” and “Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men.”
This work is a testimony to the social justice values that are instilled in Howard students. He was also the director of photography for the series “All American: Homecoming,” a teen show that was incredibly popular among Black youth. “Grass Is Greener” is available to watch on Netflix.
“The Color of Care” (2022)
A feature documentary exploring the racial disparities in the United States healthcare system, “The Color of Care,” argues that while many Americans were exposed to the racial disparities in the healthcare system by the COVID-19 pandemic, the disparities have existed since slavery.
Through interviews with healthcare workers and families of individuals who lost loved ones during the pandemic, the film displays the often fatal cost of systemic racism in the healthcare system. Oprah Winfrey created the documentary as part of an initiative aimed at bringing medical and nursing schools, healthcare workers, policymakers and affected communities together to develop more equitable healthcare solutions for Black families.
The film premiered on the Smithsonian channel, with Howard alumna Najma Nuriddin, who graduated with a master’s degree in 2011, producing for the company. Nuriddin also produced the Smithsonian docuseries “One Thousand Years of Slavery” and is currently developing a documentary called “You’re Muslim?” with New Day Films. Her work prioritizes the diversity of the Black experience as well as similarities we all share and issues that affect our community as a whole. “The Color of Care” is available to stream on Paramount+.
Howard’s influence in film isn’t limited to the names of the alumni we already know. These films demonstrate that Bison are telling stories that challenge how we understand Blackness in terms of who we are as a people and our relationship to the rest of the world.
This Homecoming, celebrating Howard’s legacy should mean more than praising our alumni for where they have gone and what they have accomplished in the film industry — it should also mean paying attention to what they are saying once they get there.
Copy edited by Jori Johnson
