As a child, Amir George noticed the pictures of three notable figures on his grandmother’s wall: Martin Luther King, Jr., Jesus Christ and Harold Washington.
The inclusion of Chicago’s first Black mayor is not surprising. He was an influential person for many, especially Black residents like George and his grandmother, Mary Ann. So it was a no-brainer for George to choose Washington as the subject of his 2019 short film, “Man of the People.”
Featuring archival footage without dialogue or narration, George’s experimental political thriller shows Washington campaigning and making other public appearances. The challenges he faced in office, and his sudden death in 1987, are only alluded to via creative framing of the historical clips and the sometimes ominous, tension-building score.
“He was always this figure I grew up hearing about, and my grandmother campaigned for him,” said George, an Englewood native who is in his mid-30s. “So, it’s really a film that I want to dedicate to her.”
“Man of the People” is one of several pictures by Black directors that will screen at the Music Box Theatre during Black History Month. The collection is part of the “Melanin, Roots, and Culture” series, curated by Tyler Michael Balentine. The program kicks off Feb. 1 with Richard Pryor’s self-directed standup special, “Richard Pryor: Here and Now.” It will also feature a Feb. 23 showing of Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King.” For the short-film portion of the series, titled “Life Within the Lens,” the theater will present works by Chicago filmmakers on Feb. 19 and 25.
The series will also highlight additional Chicago talent through performances by local comedians, a showing of rapper J Bambii’s music video, and beverages from the Black-owned Moor’s Brewing Co. in the lounge.
Now in its second year, “Melanin, Roots, and Culture” was created to increase Black representation and center Black perspectives in the historic venue, said Balentine, a 30-year-old St. Louis native who studied acting at Columbia College Chicago.
“For us as Black people, especially Black creatives, when we show things, we want people to have insight into our lives and how we think about the world,” Balentine said. “So to have it here at Music Box, it does mean a lot.”
With the “Life Within the Lens” series, Balentine has programmed a diverse lineup of filmmakers sharing stories about relationships, community and more.
Ahlaam Yasmin’s “A Portrait of Black Love” is a story about friendship, while Brenden Smith’s “Too Thankful: A Revelation” promotes a message of gratitude.
In “Cottage Grove,” director George Ellzey Jr. focuses on a tense relationship between a man and his father, who is recovering from a stroke. Filmed on the South Side, the short takes place primarily in a parking lot.
“What I wanted to do with this film is to normalize everyone’s perspective,” said Ellzey, 33, of Bronzeville. “Oftentimes, with Black families in film, it seems like one is the hero and one is the villain. But we all have our challenges and our strengths. So that’s what the goal was specifically for this Black family — trying to humanize everyone and show the spectrum of their humanity.”
The 2024 film is inspired, in part, by Ellzey’s life.
“It’s a fine dance, really,” he said of navigating relationships with his parents. “Advocating for yourself, but also creating space for their experience, too.”
That balance is also addressed in “Daughters,” directed by Sharyon Culberson and Brittani Nightengale. Filmed on the South Side, the 2024 production shows a woman dealing with a strained relationship with her mother, while also trying to create a healthier dynamic with her own daughter. The story also unpacks generational trauma through a time-traveling component.
Culberson, who also wrote and acted in the film, said she hopes it inspires conversation.
“This is the kind of stuff that a lot of us don’t talk about because it’s airing your dirty laundry and we’re all supposed to be perfect, right?” said Culberson, 48, of South Shore. “And Black folks have to present a united front no matter what, which ends up robbing us of our humanity. Our experiences and our pain are absolutely a huge part of who we are and how we interact with each other.”
Nightengale expressed gratitude for the exposure at the Music Box.
“A lot of times, we finish with these short films and we have hopes of getting them into festivals, and the people involved don’t always care for our story,” said Nightengale, 31, of Berwyn. “So to have someone seek us out to say, ‘Your story is important, we’re going to give you a platform, we’re going to screen it, we’re going to put you in front of an audience,’ it means a lot, especially during Black History Month.”