To celebrate Black History Month, Cinema Politica is spotlighting three empowering docs, each covering a distinct, Black-led protest movement from North American history. From queer community activism (OUR DANCE OF REVOLUTION) to Chicago public education boycotts (‘63 BOYCOTT) to the origins of the Stonewall riots (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARSHA!), this trio of titles commemorates the devotion of Black activists. Ultimately, each film is both a tribute to Black resilience and a reminder of the power of collective organizing.
Our Dance of Revolution
“We are people of revolution. We’re here because others have rebelled. Because others have stood in solid resistance!”
Listening to Angela, a Black lesbian feminist who is rousing a crowd, we understand that, no, this particular revolution wasn’t televised. Rather, from out of the shadows, it was embraced, chanted, marched and danced into existence.
OUR DANCE OF REVOLUTION tells the story of how Black queer folks in Toronto faced every adversity, from invisibility to police brutality, and rose up to become a vibrant, triple-snap-fierce community. Capturing first-person accounts and invaluable archival photographs across a span of four decades, this feature-length documentary is more than a previously untold oral history, more than a reclamation of unsung people and events.
Through director Phillip Pike’s lens, we glimpse at the central role historically played by Black lesbians in Toronto’s queer community, the impact of the HIV epidemic and grassroots efforts for education and support, the distinction of Toronto’s Church Street drag queens, and the defiance of Blockorama to the whiteness of Pride. OUR DANCE OF REVOLUTION is ultimately a human-scale reckoning of how audacious individuals find themselves by connecting with others, and how they muster the courage, tenacity, and creativity to prevail against the forces of marginalization.
’63 Boycott
On October 22, 1963, more than 250,000 students boycotted the Chicago Public Schools to protest racial segregation. Many marched through the city calling for the resignation of School Superintendent Benjamin Willis, who placed trailers, dubbed ‘Willis Wagons,’ on playgrounds and parking lots of overcrowded black schools rather than let them enroll in nearby white schools.
Blending unseen 16mm footage of the march shot by Kartemquin founder Gordon Quinn with the participants’ reflections today, ’63 BOYCOTT connects the forgotten story of one of the largest northern civil rights demonstrations to contemporary issues around race, education, school closings, and youth activism.
Happy Birthday, Marsha!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARSHA! is a film about iconic transgender artist and activist, Marsha “Pay it No Mind” Johnson and her life in the hours before she ignited the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City.
