[PREMIERE SCREENING: Friday, Jan. 21, 9:00 pm — Holiday Village Cinema IV]

To me the biggest surprise in making The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 was meeting one of my subjects: Angela Davis. I had admired her for so many years from seeing her on TV and her biography. The footage that we assembled in the film is something that no one outside of Swedish television had seen before. While watching those segments from years ago, I was moved by her interviews and the way she spoke so directly and with knowledge and a subtlety that was so powerful. Then, when I actually met her, I was blown away completely. I felt kind of chastened presuming she was solely this ultraserious scholar, only to find out she was a humorous, witty and very warm person. It was great.

Further, this same feeling of surprise resonated with all the other persons I had interviewed for the film. As a documentary filmmaker, you aren’t quite sure how your subjects and interviewees are going to respond especially on a film that covers many sensitive issues. But everyone involved with us that we approached for interviews and participation have been so generous and giving including Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, Harry Belafonte, Kathleen Cleaver, Sonia Sanchez, Bobby Seale and Questlove, who also provided the film with best imaginable music. This all has been a great surprise and has given our film such life.