Streamed online October 27 through November 2
Is the technology of photography and motion picture cameras inherently racist? Video cameras and color film processing materials are calibrated to best portray white skin as their primary subject. Prism addresses this bias through the shared experiences of three collaborating filmmakers. An van. Dienderen (Kastom, codirector, 2022), Rosine Mbakam (The Two Faces of a Bamiléké Woman, 2016), and Eléonore Yaméogo (Paris mon Paradis, 2011) share their thoughts on filming subjects who are not white. They make use of various cinematic methods, including direct—almost anthropological—visual evidence, cinéma verité reportage, archival footage, interviews with film academics and professionals, and personal reflections. Prism is a generous and generative work that raises many more questions than it answers. (An van. Dienderen, Rosine Mbakam, and Eléonore Yaméogo, 2021, French with English subtitles, 78 minutes) Programmed in association with Films Across Borders 2021.
Click here to learn more about Film Programs: Virtual Cinema at the National Gallery.
Every Wednesday, we share a unique film on our website, free of charge, for one week. Join us for recent restorations, classic art cinema, exceptional documentaries, and a variety of films by artists.