A year in the making, the Black Archives of MidAmerica will premiere their first ever produced and directed film “An Inconceivable Journey” this Friday July 29 at the Gem Theater.
The film was funded in part by a grant from the National 400 Years of African American History Commission to capture the four centuries of Black history in America.
The Archives partnered with Kansas City’s Vine Street Films and Baby E. Films to produce the documentary/biopic. The audience can expect a fusion of historical documents, artifacts, and live shots in the Kansas City Area.
Also playing a large role in bringing the film to the screen were members of the Black Archives Youth Coalition Network (BAYCON). These high school and college students identified the parts of African-Americann history they deemed significant in terms of their lives and their self identify. They contributed with research, acting, wardrobe, writing, acting, scene location and production.
The film is powerfully unique backed bya great deal a research that comes through in the film with the help of an original script and talented directing and acting.
“We [Black Archives] focus on the journey from Africa up until a recent time [frame] where we believe in notcreating a revisionist history, so we tell the truth,” said CarmalettaWilliams, PhD and CEO of Black Archives Mid America.
A concept Dr. Carma hopes the viewers will see is that African American people are survivors.
“They built a community, a culture and a race of people,” she said.
The 30-minute film will debut in Kansas City, but the Black Archives staff is looking for a national platform to share the film.
“We want to premiere here because it is a Kansas City product and our actors are all local,” she said.
Additional funding support for the film was provided by Jackson County Parks Department, Evergy, State of Missouri House and more.
The in person premiere this Friday, July 29, begins at 6 p.m. at the Gem Theater, 1615 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO. Because they wanted to make the film accessible to all persons in the community, admission to the movie premiere is free.