‘The Black Line: A Profile of the African-American Woman’

[DazeOff]

From Clutch Magazine:

Sneak Peek: ‘The Black Line: A Profile of the African-American Woman’

Much has been said, written, and discussed about black women the past few years. From how our education levels affect our marriage prospects to whether or not our hair plays into our fitness routines, black women have been at the center of the media’s attention.

In the midst of this focus, many black women and their allies have pushed back against the negative messages and have begun to craft their own stories. From Issa Rae and her groundbreaking show Awkward Black Girl to Shonda Rhimes and her hit ABC drama Scandal, black women are flipping the script and taking control of our images.

A new documentary, by acclaimed filmmaker D. Channsin Berry aims to further the conversation about what it means to be a black woman in America.
In his new film, The Black Line: A Profile of the African-American Woman, Berry interviewed nearly 70 black women from different age groups and regions to get their perspective on everything from sex and health to education and religion.

Berry, one of the forces behind the critically acclaimed documentary Dark Girls said he wanted to make this film because of his love of his people.

“I just happen to be a man who cares about our people in such a way that I can tell a story without my Black manhood getting in the way of listening to African American women as they tell their stories,” Berry said.

The film, which will debut early next year, will surely make the film festival circuit, so be sure to catch it when it hits your town.

Check out the new trailer for The Black Line: A Profile of the African-American Woman.

This looks very interesting. I can't wait to see it when it comes out. What are your thoughts?

[swingbolder]

Looks interesting. Thanks for the heads up.

[deecoily]

I will be looking out for this one. "What it means to be a Black Woman in America" makes me fear stereotpying...70 Black women is not a big sampling... but I am going to reserve judgment until I get a chance to see the film. Have there been any opinions so far?

[Micheli]

The problem with films like this is, no matter how "diverse" they think they're being, they really aren't being diverse at all. I didn't see any nerds, rock n rollers or atheist in this trailer. Viola Davis talking about not being accepted, yet wearing that awful wig! It might be a well done piece, but original it is not. I can't get pumped up for it. I'll look for other's reviews.

[Intellexual]

I believe that shedding all the layers of forced assimilation and harmful cultural norms can often take a lifetime, as each shed layer could allow our senses to adjust to recognizing and being irritated (if not frightened/shocked) by the existence of another "false", inauthentic, and/or unnecessary layer. Also, there are many pits of acceptability which could tell someone that they're "well" or authentic (to others if not themselves) enough to stop being introspective and critical of how they present and define themselves and also how they allow others to present, define, and affect them as such.

When looking at such testimonies and insights, it may seem like more of the same BS from people standing in their own way, but they may not be receiving due credit for the layers they started with and/or how much struggle and self-determination it took for them to shed something which was much easier or overwhelming for another. Many people don't seem to chart out all the ways in which they're being emotionally, spiritually, and/or intellectually manipulated (let alone oppressed) if not held back in those dips of relief they've become acclimated to. Each day, they pretty much freestyle a battle for their time, sanity, wellness, and any other expenditure of effort and energies (life).

I've never seen a completely free black person so, I really don't abide by the idea that you're not seeing those very different types of women (atheists, rockers, etc) wearing a mask of acceptable standards (in the trailer and during their daily routines).

I recently watched a documentary on aging in which a woman noted not having found and begun acclimating to herself until she was 85 or so. It took her that long to get to a point in which she felt free from obligation and such enough to really look at who she was and begin to cater to what was healthy and balancing for herself. Life expectancy is 75ish.

Black women would probably come closest to that if they don't try to fight against social norms and all that. That could manifest in allowing others to decide what is sufficient individual and/or collective "progress" as everyone else might be allowed to outpace them by multiples. Giving up and/or being indifferent is less stressful than being controlled, particularly for women (while early and savage death isn't the social ideal for black women). The path of least resistance is very real and most people who seek to accomplish something which requires focus forgo any other struggles, even to the point of losing sight of self (like caught up in being defined and validated through youth, motherhood, being wives, money hording, etc.).

[soapinphilly]

The problem with films like this is, no matter how "diverse" they think they're being, they really aren't being diverse at all. I didn't see any nerds, rock n rollers or atheist in this trailer. Viola Davis talking about not being accepted, yet wearing that awful wig! It might be a well done piece, but original it is not. I can't get pumped up for it. I'll look for other's reviews.

but if you ask any woman a specific question, should you be able to tell if she's a nerd, likes rock and roll or doesn't believe in god....just in those brief clips, I didn't see where any of these women could "not" have liked rock and roll, believe in God or been super smart in school.

[Micheli]

but if you ask any woman a specific question, should you be able to tell if she's a nerd, likes rock and roller or doesn't believe in god....just in those brief clips, I didn't see where any of these women could "not" have liked rock and roll, believe in God or been super smart in school.

I didn't not see anything new or groundbreaking in this trailer, Soap. I don't know about asking any woman a specific question, but I do know what my eyes and ears showed me, and they showed me that this specific trailer doesn't offer up anything new in regards to how the "average" black woman feels about living in America, nor did it show me any real diversity. It had the bad wig wearing sister complaining about not being accepted. It had the Praise Jesus after evey sentence congregation. It had the typically butch lesbian. All to the backdrop of the typical jazzy sound track. And ALL pointing to "society's" unacceptance of black womanhood, when in fact, much of that unacceptance starts at home.

All of these "black" women fit into a very "safe" image of black womanhood that most blacks can accept. Usually anything outside that parameter is met with scorn and suspicion. THAT is REAL life. All black women do not embrace and support each other against the big bad wolf of American society.

I got the impression the light skinned woman with the green eyes was actually APOLOGIZING for having attributes she had no control over! That's absurd! She shouldn't have to explain her looks are from God to anyone. But I will bet my last dollar her image of herself is influenced more by comments made to her from blacks then from society.

Anyway, that's the impression I was left with after watching the trailer. Same ol' same. I will watch out for other's reviews to see how much their assessment of film differs from my pre-conceived views.

[MommieDearest]

*sigh*

Though I have grown weary of the never-ending "black women, it sucks to be YOU" meme that has permeated our midst for the past 5 years or so, I will give this movie a chance. It appears to be giving black women a voice and letting us tell our own truths instead of someone else telling their version of the truth.

[LBellatrix]

Without knowing anything about this movie, I was already leaning towards Micheli's and MommieDearest's viewpoints, which I'm going to call "world-weary" to describe MYSELF (not them).

However, this statement made me sit up:

“I just happen to be a man who cares about our people in such a way that I can tell a story without my Black manhood getting in the way of listening to African American women as they tell their stories,”

If he's really trying to stay out of the way in terms of letting black women speak, as opposed to just jumping on the black-women-dysfunction bandwagon (cough-ChrisRock-cough-mostpopularrappers-cough) then maybe I'll check this out.

ETA: Just saw the trailer and I must say I like what the last woman said: "I must have done something really good in my past life to come back into this life as a black woman." It reminds me of that great Zora Neale Hurston passage about loving oneself and how she could never understand how white people would want to deprive themselves of the pleasure of her company just because of her skin color.