Timely, considering our recent conversations/debates about black people and/in science fiction cinema.
Here’s a new look at film we’ve been following since 2009.
A work-in-progress at the time that’s still very much a work-in-progress, as the filmmaker heads into the final stretch.
First, for those who weren’t readers of this site before 2011, a recap…
It’s titled Invisible Universe: A History Of Blackness In Speculative Fiction, and it explores the relationship between African Diasporic images and popular fantasy, horror, science fiction literature and film, as well as the alternative perspectives produced by content creators of color.
The documentary features interviews with major writers, scholars, artists and filmmakers and explores comics, television, film and literature by deconstructing stereotyped images of black people in the genres, revealing how black creators have been consciously creating their own universe.
M. Asli Dukan is the writer, producer and director, a New York City resident, and graduate from The City University of New York with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Media and Communication Arts in 1999.
The project, which has been in production since 2003, and continues to be in need of funding to be completed. It’s a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization, which is also where you can contribute to its completion by clicking HERE.
It’s a documentary that I’m very interested in seeing whenever it’s done, and if you agree, let’s help it get there sooner than later by making a contribution to her campaign at the link above.
A newer trailer for the film is now online, which you’ll find embedded below. And underneath the trailer, you’ll find the 3 clips the filmmaker uploaded recently to YouTube, featuring Octavia Butler, Nichelle Nichols and Samuel R. Delany:
