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‘Why Do You Have Black Dolls?’: A Film Inspired by an 8 Year-Old’s Question – Video

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The 15th Reel Sisters of The Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series, being held this weekend in New York at Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus, is screening an array of interesting films, including Samantha Knowles’short film, Why Do You Have Black Dolls?

Why Do You Have Black Dolls? will be screened on Sunday, October, 14, 2012, as part of the Section C: Back Down Memory Lane block @ 5 – 6PM.  The entire festival schedule can be found HERE.

From director Knowles and Selwonk Productions, the film is described as follows:

Why Do You Have Black Dolls?, is a film inspired by a question asked of an 8-year old girl. It explores the history, the beauty, and the pride that is the black doll. Through its characters, a little-known community of black doll enthusiasts, it reveals that the black doll is more than a plaything; it is a cultural artifact that represents the history of the people it depicts.

At first glance, Why Do You Have Black Dolls? could be  seen as just another film about hobbyists, or specifically, doll enthusiasts.  But a film like this one has the potential to open doors to conversations that yield a greater social impact than originally intended.

Last month on blackwomenofbrazil.com (a blog I’d highly recommend you check out), two posts in particular caught my eye.  One was about a 2010 dramatic short film titled Cores e Botas (Colors & Boots) from directorJuliana Vicente, which uses the “Paquitas” phenomenon of the 1980’s as a backdrop for its exploration into the history of racial exclusion in Brazil.

The second article posted on blackwomenofbrazil.com that commanded my attention was one that discussed the recent release of a new Brazilian-themed Barbie doll.  As part of Mattel’s Dolls of The World collection, the 2012 Brazil Barbie is a departure from past Barbie dolls that have been released and intended to represent an image of beauty to millions of little girls…

Read more: Indie Wire

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