Daughters of the Dust

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david f This independent film about a community living on the islands off southeastern America around the turn of the century tells a moving and emotionally fraught story about leaving home and moving out. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Although the island on which the Peazant family lives barely looks disconnected from "the mainland" on a map, in 1902 South Carolina, it is worlds apart. Moving from one landmass to the other is the central point of conflict in Daughters of the Dust. Interest in the Gullah-Geechee culture is what made me add this to my watch-list, as I'm especially fond of Beaufort, South Carolina and its environs. Generational change is not a new concept in American storytelling, but it's especially interesting here, as we view issues concerning religion traditional Christianity, syncretic Christianity, and even a dabble of Islam with Bilal (Umar Abdurrahman), prosperity and integration vs. modesty and tradition, interracial-love, homosexuality, colorism, and identity when it comes to a history of slavery — "When you leave this island, you ain't goin' to no land of milk and honey," says Nana Peazant (Cora Lee Day), you can imagine which side of Go v. Stay she's on. These are plot threads that most viewers would find interesting, but the film demands a concentration I don't think most of those same viewers possess — it's boring, to put it frankly. The only burst of energy we get comes from Eula (Alva Rogers) on the beach, but by this time in the film, you're not exactly sure what she's yelling about. Don't get me wrong, I very much appreciate the on-location filming and the authentic dialogue, but the non-linear plot added to the already mentioned level of concentration doesn't make it the easiest watch — even Roger Ebert had his difficulties: "The fact that some of the dialogue is deliberately difficult is not frustrating, but comforting; we relax like children at a family picnic, not understanding everything, but feeling at home with the expression of it." I disagree. The less I understand, the less I care. I was actually shocked to learn that this was an original script and not based on a novel — this sort of story lends itself to the novel form. I could've gone for more shots of the wild horses, Mt. Rushmore of animals you want to see in movies. I can recommend this for those who have a deep interest in Gullah culture (in which case, you've probably already seen it), or if you're in the mood for a slow-cooked, meat-falling-off-the-bone-tender movie. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review charlie l Surprisingly incoherent and bland given the subject matter. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Wonderful movie Beautiful movie Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/16/20 Full Review s r Too artsy for me, I had a tough time getting into it. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member "Daughters of the Dust" is slice-of-life drama, a period piece about heritage, and a portrait of a culture few people have even heard of. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Daughters of the Dust

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