Last Sunday, we finished shooting “Gospel Hill,” the 10th installment in our Black Fire film series. Set in Charlottesville, Gospel Hill centers on two University of Virginia employees engaged in a spirited conversation about their jobs, their families, and leisure. At a popular nightspot, the employees share stories of what brought them to UVA, the rigors and joys of labor, and their aspirations for themselves and their children.   Purposefully casual, the dialogue in the film draws inspiration from oral histories of black workers and popular black culture, particularly the 1973 film, The Mack, starring Max Julien and Richard Pryor.

It’s always a delight to work on these films. Everything, from the equipment check to the actual shooting, is a delight. 

In addition to making art, we are fortunate to work closely with students. 

Here’s some photos from the shoot. 

Over the past few years, the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive has been a great supporter and promoter of the Black Fire film series. On November 10 at 7 pm, BAMPFA’s Documentary Voices series will screen several shorts in the Black Fire film series. 

Ryanaustin Dennis will lead the conversation. Dennis is cocurator of BAMPFA’s Black Life series.

https://bampfa.org/event/black-life-presents-kevin-jerome-everson-and-claudrena-n-harolds-uva-black-fire-films