Dokhuis NIGHT – Dok For Peace

Films for Those Who Care

Presented by Jeffrey Badcock

A series of socially engaged movies, screened once a month on Thursdays. Touching on such hot topics as immigration, homelessness, racism, education, radical gender propositions, the pandemic and gentrification, these films not only explore visionary politics, but are also chosen to stir our imagination and creativity. The essence of cinema is the collective experience, and these screenings are aimed at creating intimate communities again in an increasingly hectic and fragmented world.

BLACK IS… BLACK AIN’T  1994
Directed by Marlon Riggs
87 minutes
In english

Let’s deep dive into the confronting cinema of Marlon Riggs—a black queer filmmaker who died from Aids-related complications at the tender age of 37. In some ways, he can be seen as the flipside of the cinematic coin shared with British director Derek Jarman. Both directors were committed — to activism, creativity and going against the grain. Briggs was always knocking out terribly sincere and frank documentaries, in ways that were not only unique in theme, but also in form. The films were inclusive, but also disruptive to the status quo. I personally believe we are all individuals, with radically different experiences, and whenever we speak the truth it will always go against the generic stereotypes propagated by the media. That is why cinema like that of Marlon Riggs is so crucial. It tells the other side of the story that isn’t being told.

This flick was Marlon’s last, and we even have passages of him lying in his hospital bed as he dies, giving his last thoughts. This is a kind of essay-film, flipping between personal reflections, street interviews, spoken poetry, discussions, folk stories, archival material and music—grappling with many issues that unexpectedly conflict, like Queerism, black culture and feminism. On top of it all, we get Angela Davis with her powerful observations, along with Cornel West. In general, there are two different groups of people—those that feel success comes from everyone jumping on the same bandwagon and gaining as many twitter followers as possible… and then there is the other idea of progress—bringing out the contradictions, the problems, and not glossing them over and pretend they don’t exist. Riggs clearly belongs to the latter, and it makes his voice that much stronger because of it. His films are uncomfortable not because they are provocative, but simply because they hit upon some hard truths that many try to avoid.

+ This will be a high-definition screening.

+ Screening at 21:00