June 22, 2009 – June 28, 2009
Daily
With its almighty title, The Birth of a Nation (1915) proclaimed a novel directive for then-nascent cinema: let there be narrative. But D.W. Griffith's revisionist epic about the South circa Reconstruction has long been pockmarked by plain-to-see racism and a whiteout of historical fact. For his acclaimed "remix," Rebirth of a Nation, DJ Spooky (aka Paul D. Miller) parses the actual storyline along with its subtext, history, and tie-in to our interracial present. As performed by Kronos Quartet, Spooky's resonant score backs up the erudite search-and-deconstruct. Two screenings of Griffith's original also provide an opportunity for your own annotations.
Click here to check out our exclusive interview with DJ Spooky.
– Jason Jude Chan