BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez
A new documentary—now in production
by Barbara Attie and Janet Goldwater, with Sabrina Schmidt Gordon
Poet, playwright, teacher, mentor, activist. Sonia Sanchez plays all these roles. For her, writing is both a personal and political act: She raises her voice in the name of black culture, civil rights, women's liberation, universal literacy. She is among the earliest poets to have incorporated urban black English into her poetry; she was one of the first activists to secure the inclusion of African American studies in university curricula. Deemed "a lion in literature's forest" by poet Maya Angelou and winner of major literary awards including the American Book Award, 76-year-old Sonia Sanchez is best known for 16 books of poetry that explore a wide range of global and humanist themes, particularly the struggles and triumphs of women and people of color.
BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez, a one-hour documentary, will examine her contribution to the world of poetry, her singular place in the Black Arts Movement and her leadership role in African American culture over the last half century. Despite her achievements, there is—as yet—no major film documenting her life and the impact of her work. Our documentary—the title is drawn from Sanchez's second book of poetry, We a BaddDDD People, which picks up on the street usage that subverts the word bad to mean good—will look at Sanchez as writer and at the groundbreaking artistic and political movements she embraced and influenced. At the heart of the film will be her performances: Her powerful "spoken word" reading style often segues into song or chant and can include instrumentation and spontaneous or choreographed dance. Supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Leeway Foundation, The Philadelphia Foundation and the Lomax Family Foundation.
Creative Team
Barbara Attie and Janet Goldwater, Producers/Directors
Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, Co-Producer/Editor
Peter Brownscombe, Director of Photography
Evan Solot, Composer
Sharon Mullally, Editor
Brian Noreika and Eric Hurt, Camera
Louis Massiah, Creative Adviser
Advisory Board
Elijah Anderson
John H. Bracey, Jr.
Lisa J. Green
Peniel Joseph
Joyce A. Joyce
Cornel West
