Originally conceived as a “short, silent film” about an African American family from the Carolina Sea Islands, DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST (1991) was written, directed and produced by AFI alum Julie Dash (Class of 1974) – who soon realized there was too much material for just a short film, so she combined her research with personal family stories and West African ritual traditions to expand the narrative into a feature. With the release of the film, Dash became the first African American woman director to receive a nationwide distribution deal.
Learn more about DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST in the AFI Catalog.
