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People
of the Columbia River Basin
Film Series
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Panelists for the screening of Local
Color and Northeast Passage. From left to right:
Nikki Williams, Val Joshua, Cornelius Swart, Jose Padin,
Ed Washington, Darrell Millner.
Photo by Larry Rank. |
The theme of this free weekly documentary film series was cultural
identity and civil rights among minority populations in the Columbia
River Basin. Each screening included discussion with community
commentators and scholars. Almost 250 people attended the series,
held at the historic Kiggins
Theater in downtown Vancouver.
Read a sampling of audience comments.
Local
Color
Oregon
Public Broadcasting and the Oregon Historical Society
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This documentary traces the history
of the local Black community in the Portland/Vancouver
metropolitan area. Through interviews with long-term
community residents and archival footage, the
film examines the roots of Portland's Black community,
and documents the ways in which local and national
changes affected the community throughout its
history.
Panelists:
Dr. Darrell Millner, Black Studies
Department, Portland State University
Ms. Val Joshua, Vancouver resident
Mr. Edward Washington, Portland resident
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Northeast
Passage
SydHonda Cinema Productions
Cornelius Swart and Spenser Wolf
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This is a new feature-length documentary
about gentrification, community revitalization and affordable
housing in the African American neighborhoods of inner
North/Northeast Portland. The film documents the life
of an African American single mother, who struggles to
improve her life in a rapidly changing neighborhood. The
filmmakers juxtapose interviews with public officials
who trace the roots of housing discrimination in the African
American community with the day-to-day life of someone
who actually lives in affordable housing.
Note: some adult situations and language.
Panelists:
Dr. Jose Padin, Sociology Department
Portland State University
Mr. Cornelius Swart, Producer
Ms. Nikki Williams, film participant
Visit a Web poster
related to the topics covered by this film.
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Grafitti and [above left]homes in North
Portland. Courtesy SydHonda Cinema Productions.
Selected Reviews
"... A sharp-eyed
film that puts a human face on the debate (of gentrification)..."
--- The Oregonian
"...Wolf and Swart approach
gentrification and affordable housing from a fresh
standpoint...unencumbered by politics...it's hard
not to come away from Northeast Passage without
emotion..."
--- The Willamette Week
View
the Northeast Passage website
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Turbans
Different Drum Productions
Erika Surat Andersen |
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This is a lyrical short drama set in Astoria, Oregon
in 1918. It explores the conflict within an Asian
Indian immigrant family torn between cultural traditions
and a strong desire for social acceptance. Based on
the memoirs of the filmmaker's grandmother, the film
illuminates issues of assimilation faced by many immigrants.
The compelling story concerns the young Singh boys
who, although born in the US, are attacked for being
different. Their father makes a tough, heart-breaking
decision that brings the audience face-to-face with
the harsh realities of racial intolerance.
Panelists:
Dr. Michele Gamburd, Anthropology Department,
Portland State University
Ms. Liisa Penner, Curator of the Clatsop County Historical
Society
Mr. Jatin Dua, Portland resident
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Above and left: Stills from the film
"Turbans," cinematography by Jules Labarthe.
Left:Yogananda Touzene as one of the Singh children. Above:
Kavi Raz as the Father.
Selected Awards
Golden Reel Award, Los Angeles Asian
Pacific Film and Video Festival, 2000
Silver Medal, Short Subject Film,
Philadelphia International Film Festival, 2000
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American
Gypsy
Little Dust Productions
Jasmine Dellal
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Jimmy Marks celebrates a victory
in Federal courts. Photograph by Sandra Bancroft-Billings,
for the Spokesman Review. Above, right: Grover Marks
drives his Cadillac towards Spokane, Washington. Courtesy
Little Dust Productions.
Selected Awards
Golden Wheel, The
First Roma Film Festival - Skopje, Macedonia, November
2002
Best Documentary,
Grand Prize, San Francisco International Film Festival,
2000
Best Documentary, Atlanta
International Film Festival
Visit a Web poster related
to the topics covered by this film.
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There are one million Gypsies, or Rom, in America.
Never before has a camera been allowed in to explore
their world. Shot over the course of five years, this
feature documentary tells the compelling tale of one
Romani family in Spokane, Washington, who has broken
the wall of secrecy surrounding their people. American
Gypsy follows the story of Jimmy Marks, a flamboyant
community leader who became passionately obsessed
with fighting a civil rights battle to defend his
family, his history and his honor.
Panelists:
Dr. Carol Silverman, Anthropology Department,
University of Oregon
Mr. Jimmy Marks, film participant
View
the American Gypsy website
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The People of the Columbia River
Basin Film Series was supported in part by a grant from the Washington
Commission for the Humanities, a state-wide non-profit organization
supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and local
contributors. The series is also supported by CCRH's James B.
Castles Endowment.
| Audience Comments from
the People of the Columbia River Basin Film Series: |
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"I'm
a teacher and parent and want all my children educated
and I'm a friend to people who experienced redlining
in the early 90's in North Portland. We all need to
be educated."
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Romani travellers
in North America, circa 1940 Photograph by Carlos
De Wendler-Funaro. Property of Smithsonian Institution
Archives. |
"I
am always amazed at the hatred that the cultures have
had to endure. But through it all -- we survive and
we overcome. It makes us work harder to educate, to
make a difference and above all to speak out even
in audiences where the discussion is not popular."
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"I
had heard almost nothing about Gypsies before this program.
What I had heard was generally positive/mystical. This was
incredibly informative, I regret not encouraging my students
to attend. I will attempt to obtain the film. Thank you."so
very much."
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"Very
interesting...and the discussion afterward [was] extremely
helpful for understanding more..."
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Workers
on the Union Pacific Railroad. Courtesy of Umatilla
Museum and Historical Foundations
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"Thank
you for offering this in my community."
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"Thank
you CCRH. Thank you Jimmy [Marks]: for your courage and
perseverance in telling your story. Now I have an idea of
what persecution really is."
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