GREENWOOD: A DREAMLAND DESTROYED Interview with Filmmaker Brian Day - Learning About Erasure
Brian Day is the Director and Producer of GREENWOOD: A DREAMLAND DESTROYED
Why did you make this film?
Brian Day: I have a colleague who is a poet and we were talking about making a project together and the Tulsa Race Massacre came across our radar. We decided he would write 3 poems that would be the keystone to the film and we would be build everything around it. I've always been passionate about social issues and social justice but was really naive about erasure and realized the need to expose it.
Why is this film relevant to our current moment?
Brian Day: Our society was built to be inequitable and has sustained that way over the centuries. Erasure is a vital way to continue the power structure. When you erase truth you erase power and thus maintain control. A form of white supremacy that was established long ago and continues through to today. We need to learn what has been erased and question more.
Why use filmmaking to examine this issue?
Film is one of the most powerful communication tools we have. We decided that blending other art forms (poetry and dance) into the documentary would make it fresh and engaging and less like a historical documentary. We wanted to make it more audience friendly so they can ponder the significance of the information.
What kinds of conversations do you hope to facilitate about this film?
Brian Day: I hope that people realize that much of what we have learned in history (in many subject areas including film history) has been controlled by white males and those in control of chosen to erase parts of history that are not flattering or even threaten their position of status in society.
What impact has the film had on your life?
Brian Day: The film has made me question what I have always taken as the factual truth. It has made me think of the sources controlling the information.
What do you like about speaking with educators, students, and community members?
Brian Day: I like sharing information that I am passionate about and seeing them respond to the information. I enjoy the interaction and depth of the discussions. I enjoy seeing sparks come to life that may lead to changes in society and actions.
Bring the documentary GREENWOOD: A DREAMLAND DESTROYED and Brian Day to your campus + community.
