African Film Archive

Daughters of the Dust

1991 — Julie Dash — United States

feature · drama · video-wave

Set in 1902 among a Gullah family on South Carolina's Sea Islands weighing migration to the mainland, Julie Dash's first feature is recognized as the first Black woman-directed independent film to receive a general theatrical release in the US, and won the Excellence in Cinematography award at Sundance in 1991.

Fun fact: The film's imagery and Gullah costuming were a visible reference point for Beyonce's 2016 visual album Lemonade, made 25 years later.

Notes: Also a L.A. Rebellion-connected work; premiered at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival. Description tightened to avoid implying it was the first theatrical release of any kind by a Black woman; it is specifically the first to receive a general, wide US theatrical release.

Verification: verified · Sources: [1] [2] [3]

Poster source: Criterion Channel