The Black Candle
Encyclopedia
The Black Candle is a 2008 documentary film
about Kwanzaa
directed by M. K. Asante and narrated by Maya Angelou
.
as a vehicle to explore and celebrate the African-American experience.
Narrated by the poet Maya Angelou
and directed by author/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.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a week long celebration held in the United States honoring universal African-American heritage and culture, observed from December 26 to January 1 each year. It features activities such as lighting a candle holder with seven candles and culminates in a feast and gift giving...
directed by M. K. Asante and narrated by Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...
.
Synopsis
The Black Candle uses KwanzaaKwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a week long celebration held in the United States honoring universal African-American heritage and culture, observed from December 26 to January 1 each year. It features activities such as lighting a candle holder with seven candles and culminates in a feast and gift giving...
as a vehicle to explore and celebrate the African-American experience.
Narrated by the poet Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...
and directed by author/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.
Awards
- 2009 Winner, Best Documentary, Africa World Documentary Film Festival.