When They See Us offers a bold new cultural analysis of the complex issues, contradictions, and palpable tensions between the Oscars, Hollywood’s most prestigious film prize, and its Black cinematic renderings. Join noted author, scholar, and MoAD’s Cultural Critic-in-Residence Dr. Artel Great (SFSU) for an illuminating and thought-provoking lecture presentation that offers a deep dive into the historical issues, social protests, and major debates concerning the Academy Awards and its complicated relationship with Black bodies and cinematic depictions of Blackness in motion pictures like Gone With the Wind, The Help, Training Day, and more.  This program will investigate the economics of the Hollywood industry, the cultural politics of the Oscars as an enigmatic, globally powerful, 96-year-old institution, and the critical dimensions of Black Oscar winning roles both in popular culture and the American social imagination.

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After you register for this program, you will receive an acknowledgement email with the link to join the program on Zoom. If you don't receive the email, check your junk mail or spam folder.

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Dr. Artel Great is the inaugural Cultural Critic-in-Residence at MoAD and the George and Judy Marcus Endowed Chair in African-American Cinema Studies and Assistant Professor of Critical Studies at San Francisco State University. He is also an Independent Spirit Award-nominated filmmaker and film and media scholar who has written on Black cinema and popular culture in both mainstream and academic publications.

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You can purchase a copy of his latest book Black Cinema & Visual Culture: Art and Politics in the 21st Century in MoAD's online bookstore.

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