[FilmReview]DaughtersoftheDust(1991)7.1/10

“Thismustbethemostdesolateplaceonearth.”isutteredinthisethnographictrailblazerfromJulieDash,andthesaidplaceisIgboLanding,onSt.SimonsIslandofftheGeorgiacoast,wherelivesGullahislanders,anAfrican-AmericanpeopledistinctivelypreservesitsAfricantraditionsandorigins.ThestoryofDAUGHTERSOFTHEDUSTtakesplaceintheturnofthe20thcentury,andpivotsaroundthePeazantClanwhenthefamilyisfacinganimpendingseparationasmostofthemdecidetopursueanew,modernlifenorthwardinthemainland,whereastheelderlymatriarchNana(CoraLeeDay),refusestoleavetheislandwheresheisbornandraised.Weavingitsnon-linearnarrativewithavoice-overoftheunbornchild(Warren),whosedubiousparentageisascathingtestimonyofGullahpeople’ssufferancetotheinjusticeandoppression(althoughtheyarenotexplictlypresentedhere),strewingflashback,spectacularshotsofitsuniquetopography,myths(water-walking),rituals(baptism)andsupernaturalism(ayounggirl’sghostorasurrealshotinthegraveyard)intermittentlyalongtheway,yet,onalessfavorablenote,itsbanallysynthesizedaccidentalmusic(saveforsometribalrhythm)failstoleaventhenarrativeastheicingonthecake,oftenirritatinglytakesusawayfromitsspatio-temporalenvirons.Itisashadedauntingforafirst-timeviewertosussthewholepictureofwhoiswhoandtheirfamilialrelationsimmediately,butitisrewardinglythewomen’svoicesarepredominantlyheardthroughahandfulofstrongcharacters.CoraLeeDay’sNana,anobstinateheathenrefusestoevangelismbutcleavestomemoriesandmementosofthepastinherownsuperstitiousmindset,isastunningexemplarofwhatenergyandimpactthoseunderemployeddark-skinnedthespianscangenerateiftheyaregrantedaplatform,sheiselectrifyingastheoldguardbattlingmortalityandbeingforgotten,subsistsawispofspiritualtenacitythatbecomesherlifeline.BarbaraoplaysYellowMary,oneofNana’smanygranddaughters,theblacksheeppracticingtheoldestprofession,returnsforthelastsupperwithhersame-sexloverTrula(Hoosier),isatloggerheadswithHaagar(Moore),Nana’sintractablegranddaughter-in-law,whoaimstoseverherfamilyentirelyfromthebackwater,representstheaggressivesideofthepolarity.Finally,AlvaRogersasEula,motheroftheunbornchildandwifeofNana’sgreatgrandsonEli(Anderson),staggeringlyperformsaquasi-possessedpleaofunderstandingandunificationintheclimax,conjuringupamosttheatricalmomentinthisotherwiseself-reflective,desultoryessayhonoringGullahcultureandunderliningtheinexorablegenerationalshiftandamutedunderstandingthereof.Anodditydisinterredfromoblivion,andforeverenshrinedasthefirstfeaturefilmdirectedbyanAfrican-AmericanwomandistributedtheatricallyintheUnitedStates,Dashx27;setherealdebutentersthatyearx27;sSundanceandisrecognizedforitsotherworldlycinematography,butitsgroundbreakinggenesisdoesn’tparlayintoasuccessivebigscreencareerforDash,whoisrelegatedtosmallscreenworksmostlyandhissecondtheatricalfilmFUNNYVALENTINESarrivesin1999,andthat’sit,doesshedeserveanotherchance?Forshizzle!本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。