BLACK WOMEN MAKING CINEMA

Abstract

Blackness may be perceived as both an identity and an attitude. The performative processes of identities solubilize concepts and practices constitutive of the discourse of female blackness. One may question: which comes first, being a woman or being black? In the movies, being a black woman may be visualized by a complex composition of linguistic elements,  objects and subjects that delimit categorizations within several scopic regimes which produces various, more or less stereotypical representations. This article approaches the question of identity "black woman" cinematically represented in the search for compose a corpus that allows thinking the image of that woman's self represented, namely, the representation produced by the women themselves who make movies. The question is: the black woman filmmakers have their own way to see and represent the black woman? In other words, the films produced by black women presents some distinction in the ways of cinematically represent the black woman? It is inferred, through this study, still in early stages of development, that the identity "black woman" cinematically represented is a performance, that is, is always in process, constructing and deconstructing stereotypes, and finally, bio-images which inscribe linguistic, artistic and historically.