Daughters of the Dust (1991)

Film: Daughters of the Dust

Director: Julie Dash

Country: USA

Released: January 1991

Runtime: 112 minutes

Genre: Historical Drama

Studio: Kino International

Influenced: Kasi Lemmons, Cheryl Dunye, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Ava DuVernay, Beyoncé

Part of Julie Dash's motivation for making Daughters of the Dust was to provide a different and more authentic portrayal of African-Americans than that often seen in the various Blaxploitation films that became popular in the 1970s. Dominated by white directors, the Blaxploitation subgenre often depicted African-Americans in stereotypical ways, focusing on themes such as crime, violence and hypersexuality. Dash, on the other hand, sought to counter these stereotypes by creating a film that celebrated the rich cultural heritage and history of the Gullah Geechee people, with a film that focused on the complexities of family, tradition and identity. She aimed to bring to light the unique cultural traditions and history of the Gullah people, descendants of African slaves living on the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia.

Daughters of the Dust is set in 1902 on a remote sea island off the coast of South Carolina and follows the Peazant family as they prepare to leave their ancestral land and move north to the mainland. Nana Peazant, the matriarch, is a wise and spiritually connected woman who is the guardian of the family's traditions.
The story revolves around the tensions within the Peazant family as some members are determined to embrace modernity (as embodied by the kaleidoscope in one of many wonderful scenes) and move to the mainland, while others wish to preserve their Gullah Geechee culture and traditions on the island. Kerry James Marshall was the production designer who assisted Dash in achieving the film's unique visual aesthetic, most notably the the iconic costumes (which inspired Beyoncé's Lemonade), such as the Gibson Girl dresses. Nana Peazant wears a different coloured dress (indigo) to the others dressed in off white, indicating her strong West African heritage.

Almost as expressive as the film's visuals is its use of language, showing a strong affinity with the work of Terrence Malick. I particularly love the monologues from the patriarch Daddy Mac Peazant in a Caribbean lilt about the obsession with travelling away from the islands among the young. The film is full of talk in the Gullah dialect about ancestors – “don’t forget how far we done come”, “we carry those memories inside of we” – with a spiritual tone to much of the dialogue. Daughters of the Dust was celebrated at the time, and increasingly since, for its innovative storytelling and visual style, with Dash using techniques such as slow motion, vivid cinematography and poetic narration to create an immersive atmosphere. As much as there is a narrative, the focus is on the Peazant family's gathering for a farewell picnic on the beach, a pivotal scene where the family members' conflicts and emotions come to the forefront.

Daughters of the Dust won an award at Sundance for best cinematography, however the film was not released until a year later. It was the first film by a black woman to get a wide release, but its box office returns were modest, albeit better than many other independent films. At the time, Hollywood studios were putting their weight instead behind testosterone-fuelled, male-led films about the black experience such as New Jack City (1991), Boyz N The Hood (1991) and Menace II Society (1993). Dash's pioneering work paved the way for more diverse voices in the film industry and, much like Jennie Livingston's Paris Is Burning (1990), opened up a new cinematic vista on marginalised communities. Even if you don't understand the plot, it's a dreamy film that visually stays long in the memory.