Dorothea -Blues become the real live blues by Kathia Woods
Channing Godfrey Peoples directed this short film about a former singer whose son was killed by the cops. This made her feel down in the dumps. Due to the unfortunate experience, she has lost her passion to sing. This short film does an excellent job of switching back and forth between the present and the past. Dorothea's Blues gives you a glimpse into a mother's grief, which has all too often become the new normal.
Doretha (Ashlett L'Oreal) was a blues singer who was having a lot of success. When we return to the present, Doretha Wright's career has faded, but she understands how to make herself look like an all-star. She puts on her best clothes, heels, and wig for a visit to the club where her career began. The waitress arrives with her usual fare. The young woman recognizes her while sipping her beverage. "My Black is Beautiful," she says of her smash song. Bernice, the bartender (Yolanda Davis), interrupts the fanfare right away. The evening news blares above them with the latest about Michael Brown's trial, she wants to know why Dorothea maintains living in the past. At that point, we discover why Dorothea is suffering from the blues. She is all too familiar with that news story, having lost her son to the cops. D
The film is set in a small town, and while we don't know the identities of all the characters, we do know that one of them is a woman who has given up a renowned gift in order to survive. Channing has an uncanny ability to create intimate films. She has a solid understanding of the personalities and isn't afraid to show us the good, the bad, and the ugly. Dorothea's Blues forces us, the viewers, to see a side of the tale that is typically lost long after the trial and the political circus has passed; a mother's grief never goes away Dorothea continues to sing in her grief, offering the audience one more performance.
Joe Buffalo- Road to Redemption by Kathia Woods
Joe Buffalo is a candid look at his life and some of his questionable choices. It's raw and unafraid, yet honest. He doesn't leave anything out, particularly the anguish and suffering he had as a child, and how he compartmentalized that pain. He, like many others, had to hit rock bottom before regaining control of his life. The beauty of reaching rock bottom is that you get to emerge from the ashes like a phoenix. The audience is not only treated to another tragic tragedy, but also to redemption and healing in this film.
The director, Chebib, did an excellent job expressing Joe’s sorrow, scorn, and vulnerability seen in his eyes. Those eyes have seen a lot in their time. We can see Joe the man's true agony there. Joe wants to end the pattern of abuse, therefore it's also good to see some healing in those eyes.
The narrative of Joe Buffalo is about regaining control of one's life. It's also about following one's passions. Others may find his goals unrealistic, yet they are his lifeline. Skateboarding is the fantasy. It's the one thing that makes him genuinely happy. He's teaching us, the audience, that a dream postponed isn't a dream lost.
This is a story about a regular guy, that frequently pass at the park, either sitting on a bench or, in Joe's case, skating by. This is what makes the story of this film so compelling. Because of Joe, we are enthralled by this film. This video is being released at a time when many people are feeling isolated and invisible as a result of the pandemic. Joe Buffalo encourages them that everything will be fine in the end. Joe was probably skating in the park while the rest of us were fighting over toilet paper, and that's his superpower.