Early cinema is not an easy sell to today’s college student. However, in time initial reservations such as the dislike of black and white with slower cutting and pacing as well as the astonishment of having to actually look at the screen for an entire movie can often be overcome to foster an appreciation of the art of the silent film. While the problems of race, gender and sexuality tropes in early film have always existed, an increasingly diverse student body is questioning not just outdated perspectives and how other voices in film history are ignored or relegated to footnotes, but the validity of the works themselves. The pace at which information now travels in non-mainstream outlets and on social media has the students of the #metoo/#blacklivesmatter/#bornthisway era more aware than ever of the lasting negative effects of these tropes. With persistent “whitewashing” in casting, the sexual abuse scandals in the film industry, and the continued use of accepted stereotypical shorthand for queer characters, it’s not just about The Birth of a Nation anymore. This presentation highlights creative approaches for instructors in the now to incorporate this emerging consciousness in exploring filmed content through a modern, inclusive prism to revisit and re-contextualize early cinematic history.
About the presenterEileen White
Eileen White is an award-winning filmmaker whose films have been exhibited at numerous festivals. Currently, she is working on a documentary about the reunion of the British band, The Libertines and a text on teaching film production. She currently teaches film history and production at Queensborough Community College.