The Black Candle
The Black Candle is a documentary film about Kwanzaa directed by M. K. Asante and narrated by Maya Angelou.[1] The film premiered on cable television on Starz on November, 2012.
| The Black Candle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | M. K. Asante |
| Written by | M. K. Asante Maya Angelou (poetry) |
| Produced by | M. K. Asante Ben Haaz Kenny Gamble Walter Lomax |
| Starring | Maya Angelou Chuck D Dead Prez Kiri Davis Ursula Rucker Jim Brown Haki Madhubuti |
| Narrated by | Maya Angelou |
| Music by | Nnenna Freelon, Derrick Hodge, Robert Glasper, Chris Dave |
Release date |
|
Running time | 71 minutes |
| Language | English |
Synopsis
The Black Candle uses Kwanzaa as a vehicle to explore and celebrate the African-American experience. Narrated by the poet Maya Angelou and directed by author and filmmaker M. K. Asante, The Black Candle is about the struggle and triumph of African-American family, community, and culture. The documentary traces the holiday's growth out of the Black Power Movement in the 1960s to its present-day reality.
Reception
Time magazine wrote "The first film about Kwanzaa, The Black Candle, narrated by Maya Angelou is fit for a poet."[2]
The Daily Voice wrote, "I predict that viewing The Black Candle will become an annual family tradition in homes around the world."[3]
The film won Best Full Length Documentary at the 2009 Africa World Documentary Film Festival.[4]
In December 2020, the American Film Institute selected The Black Candle as a "holiday classic" and featured the film in AFI Movie Club Presents: Home for the Holidays, "highlighting the very best of the holiday cinema".
References
- "Dr. Maya Angelou on Kwanzaa". Oprah.com.
- "Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Kwanzaa - TIME". December 26, 2008 – via content.time.com.
- "New film explores 'The Black Candle' for Kwanzaa". December 16, 2008.
- "Awards | Africa World Documentary Film Festival". www.africaworldfilmfestival.com.