Julie Dash

This collection of interviews with Julie Dash (b. 1952) offers an in-depth exploration of the life, career, and creative processes of one of the most groundbreaking filmmakers in American cinema. Dash, whose landmark film Daughters of the Dust (1991) became the first feature by an African American woman to receive a wide theatrical release in the United States, has continuously pushed the boundaries of cinematic representation, exploring African American history, culture, and identity through a distinctly poetic and visionary lens.

Dash’s use of Black feminist narrative and her ability to supplant the status quo of Black women’s representation in cinema aligned with the evolution of Black women’s writing and visual arts that exploded in the eighties and early nineties. Starting with her debut film Illusions (1982) and touching upon other works such as Praise House (1991), the eighteen interviews collected in this volume weave together the stylistic integrity and unconventional model of storytelling that Dash thoughtfully midwives into existence. Julie Dash: Interviews will put students, scholars, and admirers of Dash’s oeuvre in close proximity to her creative thought process and influences as well as make accessible an archive of conversations in which she discusses the longevity of her career, intergenerational shifts, and the reception of her work across the globe.