June 19, 2026
DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST (1991) – AFI Movie Club
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 Conservatory Alum Julie Dash (AFI Class of 1974) – who soon realized there was too much material for just a short film, so she combined her...
February 27, 2022
DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST (1991) – AFI Movie Club Rewind
This film was originally selected as an AFI Movie Club pick on June 3, 2020. DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST was directed by AFI Alum Julie Dash (Class of 1974) – an influential member of the LA Rebellion movement which reinvented Black Cinema. The New York Times’ A.O. Scott called her “a true American original who...
October 8, 2021
AFI Movie Club: THE ROSA PARKS STORY
A narrative account of civil rights hero Rosa Parks’ iconic stand, THE ROSA PARKS STORY (2002) is an acclaimed feature produced for television and directed by AFI Conservatory alumna Julie Dash (AFI Class of 1974). The cast features the great Cicely Tyson, who earned an Honorary Degree from the AFI Conservatory in 2014, and –...
January 7, 2021
AFI Movie Club: QUEEN SUGAR
Created by Ava DuVernay and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey, QUEEN SUGAR is a groundbreaking television series about a trio of siblings who attempt to run their family's sugarcane farm in rural Louisiana after tragedy strikes. Hailed for its inclusivity onscreen and off, the show features the directing talents of AFI Conservatory alumni Neema Barnette...
July 17, 2020
Julie Dash on DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST and her Trailblazing Career
Julie Dash (AFI Class of 1974) is one of the most well-respected and inventive visual storytellers of her generation. After attending AFI in the mid-‘70s, she received her MFA in Film and Television Production from UCLA. She made an auspicious start with bold short films – ILLUSIONS and DIARY OF AN AFRICAN NUN – and…
June 3, 2020
AFI Movie Club: DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST
DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST was directed by AFI alum Julie Dash (Class of 1974) – an influential member of the LA Rebellion movement which reinvented Black Cinema. The New York Times’ A.O. Scott called her “a true American original who dared to fill an empty space in the American imagination.” With the release of the…
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