On Sept. 22, IU Cinema premiered its third showing in Maya Cade’s film series “Home is Where the Heart Is.” The series presented two more movies: “Dreaming Rivers” and “Black Mother.”
Before the film showing, Cade made a short speech as an introduction to the series’ third installment. She introduced the two films and talked about their unique place in Black film history. The two films focused on Black ancestors and their call to Black people.
“Ancestry is a way to understand Black history and a possibility of Black futures,” Cade said at the screening.
[Related: Black Voices: IU Cinema presents: ‘Home Is Where the Heart Is’ through Oct. 1]
The first shown film, “Dreaming Rivers,” was about a mother who moved to London from her homeland in the Caribbean. After the death of her husband and with her own demise looming, she feels a strong desire to return back to her homeland, but she also feels regret for leaving.
The mother hears the voices of her ancestors calling her back home and she is tormented with regret. The short film uses her three children to recount her feelings and thoughts on the move. The homesick mother embodies Cade's theme of a desire to return home.
The second film of the night was “Black Mother,” an art film that takes the audience on a journey through Jamaica. The director, Khalik Allah, created a visual take on the documentary by showing the beautiful scenery of the country and interacting with the people living there.
The people share their land’s history, and even show the harsh workings of prostitution. Cade’s overall theme is told through the citizens of Jamaica telling the audience what makes their home unique.
[Related: Black Voices: IU Cinema screens ‘A Different Image’ and ‘Alma’s Rainbow’]
At 7 p.m. on Sept. 30, Cade gave a Jorgensen lecture as part of Home is Where the Heart Is. She was joined by filmmaker Isabel Sandoval, a close friend. They engaged in conversation about the legacies and impact of Black film. Sandoval has been a guest lecturer at the IU Cinema previously.
After this conversation, the fourth installment of Cade’s series showed “African Woman, U.S.A.” and “My Brother's Wedding.”
The final installment of the “Home is Where the Heart Is” series was shown on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. The two films that final night were “Behind Every Good Man” and “Pariah.”
