Charles Burnett (; born April 13, 1944) is an American film director, film producer, writer, editor, actor, photographer, and cinematographer. His most popular films include '' Killer of Sheep'' (1978), ''

My Brother's Wedding ''My Brother's Wedding'' is a tragic comedy, tragicomic film edited, written, produced, and directed by Charles Burnett (director), Charles Burnett. Set in South Central Los Angeles, the film follows Pierce Mundy (Everett Silas) who finds himself ...

'' (1983), ''

To Sleep with Anger ''To Sleep with Anger'' is a 1990 American black comedy film written and directed by Charles Burnett. In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, h ...

'' (1990), ''

The Glass Shield ''The Glass Shield'' is a 1994 American crime drama film co-written and directed by Charles Burnett. It stars Michael Boatman and Lori Petty as rookie Deputy Sheriff's who uncover a conspiracy around the arrest of a suspect (Ice Cube). After a ...

'' (1994), and '' Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation'' (2007). He has been involved in other types of motion pictures including shorts, documentaries, and a TV series. Called "one of America's very best filmmakers" by the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

'' and "the nation's least-known great filmmaker and most gifted black director" by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', Burnett has had a long, diverse career.A Film by Charles Burnett – Filmmaker
Killer of Sheep. Retrieved on 4 July 2011.

Background

Burnett was born on April 13, 1944, in

Vicksburg, Mississippi Vicksburg is a historic city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the county seat, and the population at the 2010 census was 23,856. Located on a high bluff on the east bank of the Mississippi River across from Louisiana, Vi ...

, to a nurse's aide and a military father.Charles Burnett: Biography from
Answers.com. Retrieved on 4 July 2011. According to a DNA analysis, he is mainly descended from people from

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierr ...

. In 1947, Charles's family moved to Watts, Los Angeles, Watts, a largely black neighborhood in South Los Angeles. Burnett was interested in expressing himself through art from a young age, but the economic pressure to maintain a stable job kept him from pursuing film or art in college.

Influence of Watts

Watts had a significant effect on Burnett's life and work. The community, which gained notoriety in 1965 when violent riots in the area caused the deaths of 34 people and injured more than 1,000, again made the news in 1992 when protestors turned to looting and arson following the acquittal of police officers tried for the beating of

Rodney King Rodney Glen King (April 2, 1965June 17, 2012) was an African American man who was a victim of police brutality. On March 3, 1991, he was beaten by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers during his arrest after a pursuit for driving whi ...

. Burnett has said that the neighborhood had a strong Southern influence due to the large number of Southerners living in the area. Watts strongly influences his movies' subject matter, which often revolves around southern folklore mixed with modern themes. His film '' Killer of Sheep'' was set in Watts.Smith, Damon
"A Quiet Storm: Charles Burnett on Namibia and His Post-Killer of Sheep Career"
(interview), ''Bright Lights Film Journal'', April 30, 2008. Retrieved on 4 July 2011.

College

Burnett first enrolled at

Los Angeles City College Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campu ...

to study electronics in preparation for a career as an electrician. Dissatisfied, he took a writing class and decided that his earlier artistic ambitions needed to be explored and tested. He went on to earn a BA in writing and languages at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California S ...

.Charles Burnett – Biography – Movies & TV – NYTimes.com
Movies.nytimes.com (1944-04-13). Retrieved on 4 July 2011.

UCLA Film School and the Black Independent Movement

Burnett continued his education at the UCLA film school, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater arts and film. His experiences at UCLA had a profound influence on his work, and the students and faculty he worked with became his mentors and friends. Some fellow students include filmmaking greats like Larry Clark,

Julie Dash Julie Ethel Dash (born October 22, 1952) is an American film director, writer and producer. Dash received her MFA in 1985 at the UCLA Film School and is one of the graduates and filmmakers known as the L.A. Rebellion. The L.A. Rebellion refers ...

Haile Gerima Haile Gerima (born March 4, 1946) is an Ethiopian filmmaker who lives and works in the United States. He is a leading member of the L.A. Rebellion film movement, also known as the Los Angeles School of Black Filmmakers. His films have receiv ...

, and Billy Woodberry. The students' involvement in each other's films is highlighted by Burnett's work as a cinematographer for

's 1979 movie ''

Bush Mama ''Bush Mama'' is an American film made by Ethiopian-American director Haile Gerima, part of the L.A. Rebellion movement of political and experimental black cinema in the 1970s. It was released in 1979 though made earlier, in 1975. In 2022, it w ...

'', as a crew member for

's 1982 ''

Illusions An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may oc ...

'', and as a writer and cameraman for Billy Woodberry's '' Bless Their Little Hearts''.A Film by Charles Burnett – About the Film. Killer of Sheep
Retrieved on 4 July 2011. His professors Elyseo Taylor, who created the department of Ethno-Communications, and Basil Wright, a British documentarian, also had a significant influence on his work. The turbulent social events of 1967 and 1968 were vital in establishing the UCLA filmmaking movement known as the "Black Independent Movement”, in which Burnett was highly involved.Masilela, pp. 107–108 The films of this group of African and African American filmmakers had strong relevance to the politics and culture of the 1960s, yet stayed true to the history of their people. Their characters shifted from the middle class to the working class to highlight the tension caused by class conflict within African American families. The independent writers and directors strayed away from the mainstream and won critical approval for remaining faithful to African American history.Kleinhans, p. 61 Another accomplishment of the Black Independent Movement and Burnett was the creation of the Third World Film Club. The club joined with other organizations in a successful campaign to break the American boycott banning all forms of cultural exchange with

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

.Masilela, p. 110 Many critics have compared the films of the Black Independent Movement to Italian neorealist films of the 1940s, Third World Cinema films of the late 1960s and 1970s, and the 1990s Iranian New Wave. At the time the movement flourished, many countries in the Third World were involved in a struggle for revolution, inspiring them to create films expressing their own indigenous views of their history and culture. In addition to staying true to history, many Black Independent Movement films have been considered a response to the White Hollywood and Blaxploitation films that were popular at the time.

Early career

Burnett's earliest works include his UCLA student films made with friends, ''Several Friends'' (1969) and ''The Horse'' (1973), in which he was the director, producer, and editor.Film Index International Home Page
Fii.chadwyck.com. Retrieved on 4 July 2011.

Major films

''Killer of Sheep'' (1978)

Burnett's first full-length feature film, '' Killer of Sheep'', was his UCLA master's thesis. It took Burnett five years to finish, apparently due to the imprisonment of one of the film's actors, and was released to the public in 1978. The cast consisted mainly of his friends and film colleagues and it was filmed primarily with a handheld camera, seemingly in documentary style. The main character was played by Henry G. Sanders, a Vietnam veteran who had studied cinema at Los Angeles City College and was enrolled in several classes at UCLA. Sanders went on to a career in films and TV, including roles in '' Rocky Balboa'', '' ER'', ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs, two M ...

'', and ''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...

''. The lead female character in '' Killer of Sheep'' was played by Kaycee Moore, who went on to act in former UCLA classmate Julie Dash's film ''

Daughters of the Dust ''Daughters of the Dust'' is a 1991 independent film written, directed and produced by Julie Dash and is the first feature film directed by an African-American woman distributed theatrically in the United States.Michel, Martin (November 20, 2016)" ...

''. The story follows the protagonist Stan, a slaughterhouse worker, who struggles to make enough money to support his family.A Film by Charles Burnett – Home
Killer of Sheep. Retrieved on 4 July 2011. According to the film's website, the movie “offers no solutions; it merely presents life”. ''Killer of Sheep'' revolves around rituals, in the family, childhood, oppression, and resistance to oppression.Masilela, p. 112 The soundtrack of ballads, jazz, and blues includes artists

Faye Adams Faye Adams (born Fanny Tuell, May 22, 1923) is an American singer who recorded and performed rhythm and blues and gospel from the late 1940s until the early 1960s. She had several chart hits in the early 1950s, before retiring from the music b ...

Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...

, Gershwin, Rachmaninov,

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplish ...

, and Earth Wind & Fire. The film was only screened occasionally because of its poor 16mm print quality and failed to find widespread distribution due to the cost and complexity of securing music rights. It was restored by the UCLA Film & Television archive in a new 35mm print of much higher quality. The re-released film won an array of awards including the critics' award at the

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fest ...

, first place at the Sundance Film Festival in the 1980s, then called the USA Film Festival,Charles Burnett – Profile – United States Artists – Great art forms here
. United States Artists. Retrieved on 4 July 2011. and a Special Critics' Award from the 2007 New York Film Critics Circle.Killer-of-Sheep – Cast, Crew, Director and Awards – NYTimes.com
Movies.nytimes.com (2010-11-01). Retrieved on 4 July 2011. It was an inductee of the 1990

National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception ...

list. In addition, it was chosen as one of the 100 Essential Films of All Time by the National Society of Film Critics in 2002. Burnett was awarded a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in 1981, following the film's completion.

''My Brother's Wedding'' (1983)

Burnett served as the director, producer, director of photography, and screenwriter for ''

''. ''My Brother's Wedding'' was his second full-length film, but was not released because of a mixed review in ''

'' after playing at the

New Directors/New Films Festival The New Directors/New Films Festival is an annual film festival held in New York City, and organized jointly by the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center Film at Lincoln Center, previously known as the Film Society o ...

in 1983.Movie Details – My Brother's Wedding – by: Charles Burnett
. Milestone Films. Retrieved on 4 July 2011. As in ''Killer of Sheep'', many of the film's actors were amateurs, including the costume designer's wife. The role of Pierce Mundy, the protagonist, was played by Everett Silas. Mundy struggles to choose between his brother's middle-class existence and his best friend's working-class world. The movie was the first feature Burnett shot on 35mm color film. Its cost was estimated at $80,000. The movie was acquired by Milestone Films, restored by the Pacific Film Archive at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

, and digitally reedited by Burnett.

''To Sleep with Anger'' (1990)

'' was Burnett's first higher-budget film, with an estimated cost of $1.4 million. The grant he received from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation helped Burnett support his family while working on the film. The $250,000 grant spread over the course of five years is awarded to gifted individuals to pursue personal projects. The movie was set in South Central LA and followed the same themes of family and southern folklore as most of his films. The story concerns a lower middle class Los Angeles family that welcomes a guest from the South who overstays his welcome and causes a major disturbance in the family.Kleinhans, pp. 62–63 The family's instability seems to reflect the larger community's volatility. ''To Sleep with Anger'' was Burnett's first film to feature professional actors. The lead actors include Danny Glover, Paul Butler, Mary Alice,

Carl Lumbly Carl Winston Lumbly (born August 14, 1951) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Dick Hallorann in '' Doctor Sleep'', NYPD detective Marcus Petrie on the CBS police drama ''Cagney & Lacey'', CIA agent Marcus Dixon on the ABC esp ...

, and Vonetta McGee. Glover, who plays Harry Mention, agreed to a reduced fee and went on to invest in the production. A box-office favorite known for his role in the

Lethal Weapon ''Lethal Weapon'' is a 1987 American buddy cop action comedy film directed and co-produced by Richard Donner, written by Shane Black, and co-produced by Joel Silver. It stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover alongside Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, D ...

films, Glover continued to star in many successful productions including ''

The Royal Tenenbaums ''The Royal Tenenbaums'' is a 2001 American comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson and co-written with Owen Wilson. It stars Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, and Owen W ...

'', ''

Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others,G ...

'', ''

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...

'', and '' Death at a Funeral''. Although highly acclaimed by critics, ''To Sleep with Anger'' did poorly at the box office. Burnett attributes this to poor distribution and lack of good taste. The film won many awards, including best screenplay from the National Society of Film Critics (the first award of its kind given to an African American writer). Other awards include two Independent Spirit Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, the American Film Institute's Maya Deren Award, the Special Jury Recognition Award at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival, a Special Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and nominations for Burnett and Glover by the New York Film Critics Association.

''The Glass Shield'' (1994)

'' follows a story of corruption and racism in the

Los Angeles Police Department The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-large ...

. It was Burnett's first film catering to a wider audience, featuring Ice Cube, the rap artist, as a man wrongfully convicted of murder. The protagonist of the movie, JJ Johnson, is played by

Michael Boatman Michael Patrick Boatman (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor and writer. He is known for his roles as New York City mayoral aide Carter Heywood in the ABC sitcom ''Spin City'', as U.S. Army Specialist Samuel Beckett in the ABC drama s ...

. The movie's themes include a strong emphasis on the powerlessness of its African American characters and female characters. Johnson's fellow sheriff's deputy, the first woman in the precinct, is forced to deal with sexism both within the police department and on the streets. The officer is played by

Lori Petty Lori Petty (born October 14, 1963) is an American actress, director, and screenwriter. She is noted for her roles in the films ''Point Break'' (1991), ''A League of Their Own'' (1992), '' Free Willy '' (1993), and the title role in '' Tank Girl' ...

, who went on to become a director in the 2008 movie The Poker House. ''The Glass Shield'' was nominated for a Golden Leopard award at the 1994

Festival del film Locarno The Locarno Film Festival is an annual film festival, held every August in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narrative, documentary, s ...

. It grossed approximately $3,000,000 in the U.S.

''Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation'' (2007)

'' Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation'' follows the story of Namibia's hardships while attempting to win independence from South African rule. The film is based loosely on the memoirs of Namibia's first president,

Sam Nujoma Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma, (; born 12 May 1929) is a Namibian revolutionary, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served three terms as the first President of Namibia, from 1990 to 2005. Nujoma was a founding member and the first ...

, the former leader of the South West Africa People's Organization SWAPO. The script was based on Nujoma's autobiography, ''Where Others Wavered'', and was reported to be a government-commissioned celebration of liberation.Kleinhans, p. 65 Both main actors in the movie,

and Danny Glover, participated in Burnett's prior films, with Lumbly and Glover both appearing in ''

''. The movie was filmed in Namibia and casting was especially difficult because the over 200 speaking parts were mostly given to local Namibians, many of whom had differing dialects. The film was an opening-night selection at the 2008 New York African Film Festival.

Documentaries

Burnett has made many documentaries including ''America Becoming'' (1991), ''Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland'' (1998), '' Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property'' (2003), ''For Reel?'' (2003), and ''Warming by the Devil's Fire'' (2003) which was part of a TV series called ''The Blues''. ''America Becoming'' was a made-for-television documentary financed by the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...

. The documentary concentrated on ethnic diversity in America, especially the relations between recent immigrants and other racial groups. ''Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland'' was a short documentary about a civil rights activist, playwright, and professor that fought hard to overcome obstacles caused by racism and injustice. ''Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property'' featured Burnett's actor and friend Carl Lumbly. The movie won a Cinematography Award in 2003 from the Long Beach International Film Festival. ''Warming by the Devil's Fire'' was an episode for

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...

's six-part compilation

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

documentary. Burnett worked as a producer for the documentary ''For Reel?''.

Shorts

Burnett was involved in many shorts that include ''Several Friends'' (1969), ''The Horse'' (1973), ''When It Rains'' (1995), ''Olivia's Story'' (2000), and ''Quiet as Kept'' (2007). ''When It Rains'' follows the story about a musician that tries to assist his friend with paying her rent. ''Quiet as Kept'' is a story about a relocated family after Hurricane Katrina.

Television films

Burnett has directed many made-for-television movies, including '' Nightjohn'' (1996), ''Oprah Winfrey Presents: The Wedding'' (1998), '' Selma, Lord, Selma'' (1999), ''Finding Buck McHenry'' (2000), and ''Relative Stranger'' (2009). ''Nightjohn'' was adapted from a

Gary Paulsen Gary James Paulsen (May 17, 1939 – October 13, 2021) was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 maga ...

novel, and went on to premiere on the Disney Channel in 1996 to high praise. The story follows an escaped slave who learns to read and returns to his former home to teach others to read and write. ''Nightjohn'' was awarded the Vision Award of the NAMIC Vision Awards in 1997 and a Special Citation Award from the National Society of Film Critics in 1998, and was nominated for a Young Artist Award by the Young Artists Awards in 1997. '' Oprah Winfrey Presents: The Wedding'' was directed by Burnett, with Oprah Winfrey as an executive producer. Halle Berry and Carl Lumbly star in this drama surrounding the wedding of a wealthy African American woman and a poor white musician. ''Selma, Lord, Selma'', a

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

movie, follows the story of a young girl inspired by

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

who decides to join the historic protest march from Selma to Montgomery. ''Selma, Lord, Selma'' was nominated for a Humanitas Prize in 1999 and an Image Award from Image Awards in 2000. ''Finding Buck McHenry'' is about a young boy who tries to discover whether his baseball coach is a former legend in baseball. ''Finding Buck McHenry'' won a Daytime Emmy in 2001, a Silver Award from WorldFest Houston in 2000, and a Young Artists Award in 2001, and was nominated for an Image Award in 2001. ''Relative Stranger'' was nominated for an Emmy in 2009, an Image Award in 2010, and a Vision Award from NAMIC Vision Awards in 2010.

Awards

In 1988 Burnett won a

MacArthur Fellowship The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and commonly but unofficially known as the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation typically to between 20 and 30 indi ...

for his work as an independent filmmaker. Burnett earned the Freedom in Film Award from the First Amendment Center and the Nashville Independent Film Festival.Taylor, Philli
Burnett accepts first Freedom in Film award
. freedomforum.org. Retrieved on 4 July 2011. The award was given to Burnett to honor his commitment to presenting cultural and historical content that he felt needed to be discussed, rather than focusing on commercial success. Burnett was honored by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival in 1997. In addition, Burnett was presented grants by the Rockefeller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the J.P. Getty Foundation. The prestigious

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

's Paul Robeson Award was given to Burnett for achievement in cinema. To honor his achievements, the mayor of Seattle declared February 20, 1997, Charles Burnett Day. In September 2017 it was announced that Burnett was to receive a Governors Award – known as an "honorary Oscar" – from the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...

Recurring themes

The recurring themes in Charles Burnett's work were primarily history's effect on the structure of family.Masilela, pp. 111–112 He also strived to make films about working-class African-Americans that denounced stereotypes and clichés. Burnett has told critics that he makes films that deal with emotions coming out of real problems like maturity and self-identity. He also found a recurring theme in liberation and struggle perhaps after the influence from the UCLA's Third World Film Club that championed the revolutions occurring worldwide in the 1960s and 1970s.

Other projects

In 1999, Burnett directed a film called '' The Annihilation of Fish''. The film is an interracial romance film starring

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...

and

Lynn Redgrave Lynn Rachel Redgrave (8 March 1943 – 2 May 2010) was an English actress. She won two Golden Globe Awards throughout her career. A member of the Redgrave family of actors, Lynn trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962. B ...

that won the Jury Award from the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2001, the Audience Award at the Sarasota Film Festival in 2001, and a Silver Award at WorldFest Houston in 2000. Burnett and two other directors, Barbara Martinez Jitner and Gregory Nava, directed the television series ''American Family''. ''American Family'' was nominated for 2 Emmys and a Golden Globe Award and won many other awards. Burnett also acted in the documentary ''Pierre Rissient: Man of Cinema'' with Clint Eastwood. He is currently in pre-production on two films projects: ''The Emir Abd El-Kadir'' and ''83 Days: The Murder of George Stinney.'' In January 2019, it was announced that Burnett would direct the film ''Steal Away'', based on

Robert Smalls Robert Smalls (April 5, 1839 – February 23, 1915) was an American politician, publisher, businessman, and maritime pilot. Born into slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina, he freed himself, his crew, and their families during the American Civil W ...

's escape from slavery.

Personal life

Burnett is married to actress and

costume designer A costume designer is a person who designs costumes for a film, stage production or television show. The role of the costume designer is to create the characters' outfits or costumes and balance the scenes with texture and colour, etc. The costume ...

Gaye Shannon-Burnett. They have two sons, Steven and Jonathan.

Filmography

*''Several Friends'' (short, 1969) *''The Horse'' (short, 1973) *'' Killer of Sheep'' (1978) *''

'' (1983) *'' Bless Their Little Hearts'' (1984) *''

'' (1990) *''America Becoming'' (TV documentary, 1991) *''

'' (1994) *'' When It Rains'' (short, 1995) *'' Nightjohn'' (television film, 1996) *''The Final Insult'' (

docufiction Docufiction (or docu-fiction) is the cinematographic combination of documentary and fiction, this term often meaning narrative film. It is a film genre which attempts to capture reality such as it is (as direct cinema or cinéma vérité) a ...

short, 1997) *'' The Wedding'' (TV, 1998) *'' Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland'' (documentary short, 1998) *'' Selma, Lord, Selma'' (television film, 1999) *'' The Annihilation of Fish'' (1999) *''Olivia's Story'' (short, 2000) *''Finding Buck McHenry'' (television film, 2000) *'' American Family'' (TV series, 2002) *'' Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property'' (TV documentary, 2003) *''For Reel?'' (TV, 2003) *'' The Blues: Warming by the Devil's Fire'' (TV documentary, 2003) *'' Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation'' (2007) *''Quiet as Kept'' (short, 2007) *''Relative Stranger'' (television film, 2009) *''Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution'' (with Daniel Loewenthal, TV documentary, 2018)

References

Bibliography

*Kleinhans, Chuck. “Charles Burnett.” Fifty Contemporary Film Directors. Ed. Yvonne Tasker. New York: Routledge, 2002. pp. 60–69. Print. *Masilela, Ntongela. “The Los Angeles School of Black Filmmakers.” Black American Cinema. Ed. Manthia Diawara. New York: Routledge, 1993. pp. 107–117. *Míguez López, María, and Victor Paz Morandeira (eds). "Charles Burnett. A Troublesome Filmmaker". Santander: Shangrila, Textos Aparte, 2016. *Míguez López, María, and Victor Paz Morandeira (eds). "Charles Burnett. Un cineasta incómodo". Santander: Shangrila, Textos Aparte, 2016.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Burnett, Charles 1944 births Academy Honorary Award recipients African-American cinematographers African-American film directors American cinematographers American film directors American people of Sierra Leonean descent English-language film directors Independent Spirit Award for Best Director winners L.A. Rebellion Living people MacArthur Fellows UCLA Film School alumni 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people