For the 30th anniversary of “To Sleep with Anger” (1990), Be Reel dives into the work of principal “L.A. Rebellion” director Charles Burnett.
Part of the first generation of Black directors to come out of American film school, Burnett brought a daring cinematographer’s eye and a watchful activist’s pen to films like “Killer of Sheep” (1978) and “The Glass Shield” (1994).
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With a keen sense for the Black experience in Los Angeles, writer-director Burnett has tried his hand at docu-realism, living-room dramedy, and even police procedural. Throughout his films, the director’s interests are apparent and arresting: the dark humor of tight-knit communities, the culture clashes of the Great Migration, the paralysis of poverty, and the strength and resilience of Black women.
Of course, one can’t talk about Burnett without discussing how underappreciated he’s been compared to his era’s white directors with similar influences and indie bonafides. Now as ever, it’s time to keep appreciating Burnett, even if the film industry largely failed to do so.
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