In the late 1960s, as change was coming to America — as cities were burning, Vietnam was exploding, and disputes raged over equality and civil rights — a revolutionary culture was emerging seeking to drastically transform the system.
The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense would, at least for a short time, put itself at the vanguard of that change.
“Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” is the first feature-length documentary to explore the Black Panther Party, its significance to the broader American culture, its cultural and political awakening for black people, and the painful lessons wrought when a movement derails. Director, writer and producer Stanley Nelson goes straight to the source, weaving a treasure trove of rare archival footage with the voices of the people who were there: police, FBI informants, journalists, white supporters and detractors, and Black Panthers who remained loyal to the party and those who left it.
“Black Panthers” premieres on Independent Lens at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, on PBS, and shows at the Mancos Public Library at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18.
Featuring Kathleen Cleaver, Jamal Joseph and dozens of others, alongside a soul-power soundtrack of the music so integral to the Party’s identity, “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of The Revolution” is an essential history and a vibrant chronicle of this pivotal movement that gave rise to a new revolutionary culture in America.
About the filmmakers
Nelson is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellow, and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama in August 2014. Nelson has directed and produced numerous acclaimed films, including Freedom Summer, Freedom Riders, Jonestown: The Life and Death of People’s Temple and The Murder Of Emmett Till. He is also co-founder and Executive Director of Firelight Media, which provides support to emerging documentarians. Currently in production is Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the second in a series of three films Nelson will direct as part of a new multiplatform PBS series titled “America Revisited.”
Producer Laurens Grant is a Peabody and three-time Emmy award-winning producer and director who has been making films for more than a decade. Her documentary “Jesse Owens” won an Emmy for Outstanding Research and received two Emmy nominations, for Outstanding Historical – Long Form and Outstanding Music and Sound. Grant also produced “Freedom Riders,” which premiered at Sundance, won a Peabody, three Primetime Emmys, was featured on Oprah, and clips are featured in Lee Daniels’ film, “The Butler.”
About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a neighborhood series that brings people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS’s Independent Lens, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders and organizations together to discuss what matters most, from newsworthy topics, to family and relationships. Make friends, share stories, and join the conversation.
For more information, visit: http://itvs.org/films/black-panthers or http://www.pbs.org/black-panthers/
