Black Life is honored to present Circling the Archive—a dialogue with two contemporary filmmakers, who share their award-winning short films alongside films they have selected, including Charles Burnett’s first short film, Several Friends (1969). A native New Yorker, Tayler Montague forayed into filmmaking via her background in cultural criticism and film programming. Montague tells stories that place Black people front and center, building on the legacy of Black storytelling that she grew up with. Her debut film, In Sudden Darkness, is a portrait of a working-class Bronx family as they experience the Northeast blackout of 2003. Dwayne LeBlanc is a Los Angeles–based, first-generation Caribbean American artist and filmmaker. He is primarily self-taught, and his multimedia practice focuses on themes of migration, visibility, and dual identities. His debut short, Civic, is a meditative work about homecoming that was awarded a production grant from Ghetto Film School and Netflix. LeBlanc is currently in postproduction on two additional films that will form a trilogy with Civic. 

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Tayler Montague will be unable to join us in person.

Event Accessibility

If you have any questions about accessibility or require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact us at bampfa@berkeley.edu or call us at (510) 642-1412 (during open hours) with as much advance notice as possible. More information on accessibility services.