About to be separated, they are forced to make a terrifying choice.
Daniel and Mary sued for freedom and won. But the widow of their former slaveholder challenged the Bells’ freedom in court. Threatened with re-enslavement, and the sale of their children, they led the largest escape attempt in US history.
The Bell Affair is a uniquely produced animated drama that tells the lesser-known stories of slaves who sued for their freedom prior to the Civil War.
“The delicate artistry of lead VFX artist and supervising producer Michael Burton (’07) brings to life the artistic expression rotoscoped in broad swaths of remarkable beauty. Burton’s skilled live animation adds a visceral quality to The Bell Affair that makes the emotions of our characters dynamic as we witness them navigate through the uncertainty of their day-to-day lives.” – Nebraska Alumni Association.
“The searing story of the enslaved Bell family’s fight for freedom.” – WYPR. All Things Considered.
“Bell organized the largest attempted slave escape in history with 77 people, including four of Bell’s children, on a schooner called “The Pearl.” Unfortunately, they would be captured with most of them eventually sold to slave owners in Vicksburg, Mississippi.” – The Washington Informer.
Honorable Mention – 2022 Silk Road Film Awards Cannes
Official Selection – 2022 Prince George’s Film Festival
Official Selection – 2022 Golden State Film Festival
Features:
Anthony Wilcox as Daniel Bell
Myeisha Essex as Mary Bell
Deborah Madick as Susan Armistead
Arista Jackson as Ann Bell
Darla Davenport as Lucy Bell
2021 / Drama / English / 82 minutes / A film by Kwakiutl Dreher.
HOW TO ORDER:
Public Performance and Digital Site Licenses are available through Soundview Media Partners. To inquire or to place an order, write to info@soundviewmediapartners.com or simply choose from the options below:
A southern-born, black gay man goes back home to reconnect with black gay men he has performed on stage for a decade.
“Making Sweet Tea” chronicles the journey of southern-born, black gay researcher and performer E. Patrick Johnson as he travels home to North Carolina to come to terms with his past, and to Georgia, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C. to reconnect with several black gay men he interviewed for his book, Sweet Tea. Johnson transformed that book into several staged plays over the course of a decade, and the film combines footage from his past performances of the men with documentary moments from their lives a decade after the book’s publication.
The film also focuses on Johnson’s life in the south while showing how the men have changed since – and been changed by – their depictions in his book and plays.
The film covers the subtle complexities of Johnson’s relationships with these men, with his family, and with his hometown in North Carolina. The film also restages Johnson’s performances of the men’s narrative in their homes, in their churches, and on their jobs, sometimes with them directing him or even participating in the scene.
Blurring the line between art and life, the film offers a rare glimpse into the lives of people rarely given a platform to speak and demonstrates how research, artistry, and life converge.
A festival favotite with numerous wins including:
Winner: Best Documentary, Out On Film Atlanta LGBTQ Film Festival
Winner: AARP Silver Image Award, Chicago LGBTQ International Film Festival
Winner: Best LGBTQ Film, San Diego Black Film Festival
Winner: Audience Choice Award, Kansas City FilmFest International
Winner: Judges’ Choice Documentary Film, Longleaf North Carolina Museum of History
Documentary / 2020 / 89 Minutes / Color / English / A film by John L. Jackson Jr.
HOW TO ORDER:
Public Performance and Digital Site Licenses are available through Soundview Media Partners. To inquire or to place an order, write to info@soundviewmediapartners.com or simply choose from the options below:
In one of the last traditional tribes in the South Pacific, a young girl falls in love with her chief ‘s grandson. But when war with enemies escalates, she is unknowingly betrothed as part of a peace deal. The young lovers run away, but are pursued by warriors of both tribes.
With their lives on the line, the star-crossed lovers must choose between their hearts and the peaceful future of the tribe.
“Thrilling performances as stunning as the setting.” – Washington Post
“One of the best…you will be surprised.” – Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
“An epic romance. Highly Recommended.” – S. Lyons, The Sound View
Nominated for 5 AACTA Awards (Australian version of the Oscars): Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Sound
Winner, AACTA award for Best Original Score
Winner, Audience Award, Best Cinematography, Venice Int’l Film Festival
Winner, Best Director, Australian Director’s Guild
Winner, Best Music, Film Critics Circle of Australia
Winner, Audience Award, Best Picture, Venice Int’l Film Festival
2017 Academy Award Nominee, Best Foreign Language Film
First Australian film ever to be nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar
Drama / 2015 / 104 minutes / Color / Nauvhal w/ English subtitles / A film by Bentley Dean and Martin Butler
HOW TO ORDER:
Public Performance and Digital Site Licenses are available through Soundview Media Partners. To inquire or to place an order, write to info@soundviewmediapartners.com or simply choose from the options below:
