I don't know what to make of this. Two folkses apparently had a tiff over a couple of movies I wrote about, and these emails were forwarded to me...I left out their specific names and replaced them with fake ones, but it's a bit confusing to me; maybe you can help me out.....
1st Email:
From Rhonda:
Why write to me? Write to the writer of the critique directly at: invisiblecinema@gmail.com. Have the same vigor when you write that person directly as you did below.
Penelope wrote:
Thanks for sharing! does not fluster me or upset me and critics well- admonish all they want- Not masterpiece theater, but the real beauty here is that we all had a vision and a dream- we carried it out; we finished the movie; got it sold and distributed and more important in this business we gave people work! Most of these folks can only have their criticisms and admonishments. Truth is- we get no admonishment from our peers who understand the struggle and the sacrifice in making a film- however bad you may think it is. Are we each responsible for the kind of message we send out? No. It's entertainment and in this case a comedy! Get a life people. What about the gangster, oh not so funny , can't spell filmmaker wack crap on BET? What about the mess that makes it to the big screen? What about the real problems facing folks trying to make it to the big screen? Where's that fight and those articles? What about the folks who refused to help and guide when they could have? Let's discuss that...These folks don't know me, my character, background or life story and struggles or what I go through daily to make a better way for Black people and women and the rest of us who do our thing and aren't afraid .
Thanks for sharing! does not fluster me or upset me and critics well- admonish all they want- Not masterpiece theater, but the real beauty here is that we all had a vision and a dream- we carried it out; we finished the movie; got it sold and distributed and more important in this business we gave people work! Most of these folks can only have their criticisms and admonishments. Truth is- we get no admonishment from our peers who understand the struggle and the sacrifice in making a film- however bad you may think it is. Are we each responsible for the kind of message we send out? No. It's entertainment and in this case a comedy! Get a life people. What about the gangster, oh not so funny , can't spell filmmaker wack crap on BET? What about the mess that makes it to the big screen? What about the real problems facing folks trying to make it to the big screen? Where's that fight and those articles? What about the folks who refused to help and guide when they could have? Let's discuss that...These folks don't know me, my character, background or life story and struggles or what I go through daily to make a better way for Black people and women and the rest of us who do our thing and aren't afraid .
What about the awards So Fresh won? and the fact someone, somewhere keeps buying the movie; renting the movie; ordering the movie? can't speak for the others. But what is your point in sending this? Are we hurting filmmakers and writers? are we killing brain cells? are we making a political statement? did we rob anyone of dignity in the process of the filmmaking? no! So again- why are you sending this to me after 2 years of the movie being in store and nearly 6 since it was made? No mad. Just curious.
Thank you for the publicity oh critical ones! Perhaps my partner, the screenwriter and co-director can better address you...
Keep it funky
2nd Email:
From Penelope:
You sent the original email, and thus I responded to you. The author is free to contact me.
I've made my peace with it all and have spent my energy creating and producing more pieces to be critiqued or enjoyed!
3rd Email:
From Rhonda:
Your film was stereotypical garbage and I hope you don't make anything else remotely like that. You and your filmmakers have not progressed the noble cause of making quality African-American cinema, but impeded it seriously. I'm glad the Invisible Cinema site blasted that garbage. This below should be the face of your production company.
From IW: Bear in mind I was never part of this email exchange, and have absolutely no idea where it came from or why. What I do know is "Confessions of a Call Girl" and "So Fresh, So Clean" are hot petrified garbage, and the fact that either one of them won an award that was worth more than a Tic-Tac is completely dumbfounding to me, as well as deeply disturbing.
As one who has had the experience of working for a major studio, pitching scripts, working on production, and dealing with unbelievable executive racism every freaking day, I am even more firmly entrenched that just because someone has the means to make a film doesn't mean it should be "acceptable", non-threatening, stereotypical bullshit. That's why so many black films go to DVD. That should NOT be our goal; we have spiritual love, we have family, we have fierce sexual intensity and incredible beauty, none of which I saw an iota of in either one of these movies.
I admire ANYONE who can get a film made that is black, but I DO NOT agree that it should be some lazy, tired, 5th grade f__ed up mess to get it done. Not everything has to be a masterpiece, but there are so very, very, little of them made in our community. I find it laughable that someone defends "So Fresh, So Clean" so nobly. It would have been just as easy to try to make a decent film; Charles Burnett never has any Hollywood money, but he always has something to say in his films.
Let's fight the good fight and ELEVATE, people! How did we get from Langston Hughes and James Baldwin to this? Jena and BET were just the beginning....we are on our way.
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