Parity Pipeline

Parity Pipeline

Blueprint For My People

Directed by Carol Bash

BLUEPRINT FOR MY PEOPLE is a short film that explores the African American experience featuring rare, archival cyanotypes also known as "blueprints".

  • ABOUT
  • BIO
  • SCREENINGS
  • AWARDS
  • PRESS
  • CREDITS
  • GALLERY

Genre

Synopsis

BLUEPRINT FOR MY PEOPLE is a short film that illuminates the African-American experience by lyrically interweaving spoken-word narration of Margaret Walker’s epic poem, “For My People” with contemporary images and rare 19th century cyanotypes (blue photographic prints known as “blueprints”) of African Americans. By incorporating poetry, cyanotypes, contemporary imagery and graphics, the film captures the struggles of a people—through candid moments—whose lives created the context of American culture.

Bio

Carol Bash is the Founder and President of Paradox Films, a media production company based in Peekskill, New York. She is an award winning documentary filmmaker with over 20 years of experience. Her current project on the film festival circuit, Blueprint For My People, is a visual poem that interweaves spoken-word narration of Margaret Walker’s poem, “For My People” with contemporary images and rare 19th century cyanotypes (blue photographic prints known as “blueprints”). Also on the film festival circuit is the music video Windows that she wrote, produced, edited and co-directed (with Christopher Fox), which is a song on Future One's latest album, Do We Need Another Psycho. Her short film which showcases the natural beauty of a local farm, Morning at Hemlock Hill Farm, screened at film festivals and art exhibitions in the Hudson Valley, New York area. Her feature documentary, Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band, on this renowned yet unsung jazz genius, is currently available on Showtime. Currently, Carol serves as the Programming Coordinator at Black Public Media. She is also a Peekskill Arts Alliance Board Member and an Organizer/Programmer of the annual Peekskill Film Festival. Carol is a former Black Public Media artist-in-residence and a Firelight Media Documentary Lab fellow.

Screening History

World Premiere - Cleveland International Film Festival 2024

North American Premiere - RiverRun International Film Festival 2024

Midwestern Premiere - Hobnobben Film Festival 2024

New York Premiere - New York Shorts Film Showcase - Sept. 2024

Southwestern Premiere - Denton Black Film Festival 2025

Awards History

Hobnobben Film Festival 2024 - Finalist, Unscripted Shorts Category

Press

"Powerful archival footage is rendered in montages of historic cyanotype photographs underscored with a spare but emotionally evocative soundtrack by Tony Jefferson and searing poetry by Margaret Walker read by Poet Gold."
Chronogram

Credits

Poem "For My People" Written by - Margaret Walker

Spoken Word/Narration - Bettina "Poet Gold" Wilkerson

Spoken Word/Narration - Richard "Braf Matic" Brathwaite

Music Composed and Performed by Tony Jefferson

Executive Produced by Third World Newsreel