4/140 in my (not really official or structured) ‘holy shit I really need to find contemporary films that I connect to on a substantial level so I’m catching up on the 2020s’ challenge!
A Night of Knowing Nothing is everything I would ever want in a film. With that said, it also represents everything I don’t want my art to be.
Some text messages I sent after finishing this:
“It’s funny how many times I’ll be put in this situation. I don’t want to be an Akerman, I don’t want to be a Duras, I don’t want to be Khalik Allah….. yet these are the filmmakers who speak to me.
What’s the point of political art if it’s not reaching the people it’s discussing? I love these films and A Night of Knowing Nothing is probably gonna join my top films. They connect to my personal experience and inspire me greatly…. But I don’t want to make films like this. I don’t want to make films about the oppressed that will only be shown in arthouses and festivals. I have no interest in appealing to the so-called intellectual.
My arthouse tendencies counteract with my populist desires. I know that the art I want to make is gonna be abstract and dense, but I’m trying to reach people. I’m trying to develop a voice others can depend on.
I just gotta figure out how to balance those factors”
“I’m reminded of this quote:
‘Everything, everything you just said is bullshit! You're complaining about- I'm talking about the audience. That's right, the people don't come because you grandiose motherfuckers don't play shit that they like. If you played the shit that they liked then the people would come! Simple as that.’ -Shadow Henderson from Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues
I ain’t even seen it yet, but I think about those lines a lot since The Roots sampled them”
“Most of the artists I love are alienating. I love them, but I don’t wanna be that kind of artist. I don’t wanna alienate my audience like that.”
4/140 in my (not really official or structured) ‘holy shit I really need to find contemporary films that I connect to on a substantial level so I’m catching up on the 2020s’ challenge!
A Night of Knowing Nothing is everything I would ever want in a film. With that said, it also represents everything I don’t want my art to be.
Some text messages I sent after finishing this:
“It’s funny how many times I’ll be put in this situation. I don’t want to be an Akerman, I don’t want to be a Duras, I don’t want to be Khalik Allah….. yet these are the filmmakers who speak to me.
What’s the point of political art if it’s not reaching the people it’s discussing? I love these films and A Night of Knowing Nothing is probably gonna join my top films. They connect to my personal experience and inspire me greatly…. But I don’t want to make films like this. I don’t want to make films about the oppressed that will only be shown in arthouses and festivals. I have no interest in appealing to the so-called intellectual.
My arthouse tendencies counteract with my populist desires. I know that the art I want to make is gonna be abstract and dense, but I’m trying to reach people. I’m trying to develop a voice others can depend on.
I just gotta figure out how to balance those factors”
“I’m reminded of this quote:
‘Everything, everything you just said is bullshit! You're complaining about- I'm talking about the audience. That's right, the people don't come because you grandiose motherfuckers don't play shit that they like. If you played the shit that they liked then the people would come! Simple as that.’ -Shadow Henderson from Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues
I ain’t even seen it yet, but I think about those lines a lot since The Roots sampled them”
“Most of the artists I love are alienating. I love them, but I don’t wanna be that kind of artist. I don’t wanna alienate my audience like that.”
