The version of Dash’s film set to screen this weekend has been restored by Kino Lorber (in conjunction with UCLA) for the first time with proper color grading overseen by cinematographer AJ Jafa. “Before there was Beyonce, or Lemonade, there was Ms. Dash, Ms Julie Dash and her luxuriously elegant film about Gullahs living in coastal South Carolina,” noted Chaz. “She led the way for other female directors. And to this day I find her film one that feeds all the senses, a true classic. It is truly one of my favorite films. My late husband, Roger Ebert, called it a ‘a tone poem of old memories, a family album in which all of the pictures are taken on the same day.’ He went on to say that ‘at certain moments we are not sure exactly what is being said or signified, but by the end we understand everything that happened — not in an intellectual way, but in an emotional way.'”
The Chicago Favorites Series continues on Saturday, August 28th, with Robert Altman’s “Nashville,” hosted by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Steve James (“Hoop Dreams,” “Life Itself”); followed by Lana & Lilly Wachowski’s “Jupiter Ascending” in 35mm on Wednesday, September 1st, hosted by LaSaia Wade, Founder and Executive Director of Brave Space Alliance; Steven Soderbergh’s “Contagion” on Saturday, September 4th, hosted by Dr. Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health; Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain” in 35mm on Thursday, September 9th, hosted by Jon Carr, Executive Producer of The Second City; Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” on Saturday, September 11th, hosted by Ashley Wheater, MBE, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet; Wes Anderson’s “Rushmore,” on Monday, September 13th, hosted by Ed Siskel, Gene Siskel Film Center Advisory Board member; and Edmond T. Gréville’s “Princesse Tam-Tam” on Saturday, September 18th, hosted by Ayana Contreras, host of Reclaimed Soul on WBEZ and Vocalo Radio.
“Recently, during a long-awaited and much needed dinner with friends, we got to talking about the films we had all watched at home while Chicago was locked down,” said Rebecca Fons, Director of Programming at the Siskel Center. “Guilty pleasures, comfort food, deep dives into filmmakers – everyone had watched a lot of movies. The conversation then turned to our favorite films, and a friend I’d known for years floored me with his pick. Knowing his choice, and why it meant so much to him, gave me an entirely new perspective on this person I’d known for years – his story behind the cinematic story was as special as the film itself. For our Chicago Favorites series, we invite you to get to know select notable Chicagoans through the perspective of their favorite films.”
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