IN CINEMA
Thursday, May 22nd at 7PM
THE PEOPLE COULD FLY
Imani Nikyah Dennison, Louisville, KY
Made You Look: H2O (Hip-Hop Odyssey)
THE PEOPLE COULD FLY is a poetic documentary about the history of Black gathering spaces in Louisville, KY from the 1960's to mid 2000's. Through an intimate video portrait, we delve into the ritual of roller skating and how roller rinks emerged as sanctuaries for Black culture. Through a charged combination of archival footage, still photos, newly shot material and newsreel, we explore the history of a segregated Louisville and the magic that its Black community has conjured as an act of resistance.
IMANI DENNISON, she/they, is a multidisciplinary artist, curator and award winning Filmmaker born in Louisville, Kentucky. Imani graduated from Howard University where they studied Political Science and Photography. Through image based mediums and sound, Imani interrogates hidden and counter histories centered around folklore, fantasy, fables. Imani has created commissioned documentary works for PBS, Tribeca, ITVS, and Procter & Gamble. Imani is a 2022 Tribeca Queen Collective Directing Program grantee where they directed their award winning creative non fiction film, Bone Black: Midwives vs the South that made its international premier at the Tribeca Film Festival. Imani is currently a 2023 Chicken & Egg/POV grant recipient which awarded them the opportunity to produce their short creative non-fiction film, The People Could Fly, about the ritual of roller skating and how roller rinks emerged as sanctuaries for Black culture in Louisville, Kentucky. Imani is a 2025 Black Rock Senegal artist in residence where they will work on an ongoing multi-media series, Mississippi Mud in Spring. They will spend fall 2024 further developing this project as a fellow of the Points North/ Black Star Film Festival’s North Star Program.
the people could fly
CHILDREN OF PARIS
Documentary - Brandy Creek, Baltimore, MD
Made You Look: H2O (Hip-Hop Odyssey)
CHILDREN OF PARIS follows music artists Kotic Couture, DDm and RoVoMonty on the journey to expand their audience and careers beyond the Baltimore and East Coast scenes. Steeped in the underground scene, these three artists have thrived as queer artists in the segment of society that has a tradition of passing the mic and celebrating diversity. However, they still struggle to gain access to the same widespread fame non-queer hip-hop and pop artists get to experience.
children of paris
+ Post-screening discussion in person with Producers Bryn Silverman and Flor Tejada, THE PEOPLE COULD FLY; and Director Brandy M. Creek, CHILDREN OF PARIS; and on Zoom with Director Imani Nikyah Dennison, THE PEOPLE COULD FLY!
Tickets: $15 General Admission / $7 Reduced Price
