It was extremely gratifying to quickly get two “sell outs” for our first preview screenings of “Lillian Smith: Breaking the Silence” at the Decatur Library (that’s Decatur, Ga.) on May 16-17 (a third sell-out screening was added on May 19th). Credit goes to our bookish Decatur community, of course, and the sponsorship/promotion by Georgia Center for the Book.
We’re finding out that there’s a Lillian Smith cult out there. Some people have been moved by her work in life-transforming ways. And this film is bringing people together in yet another way to celebrate the life and work of this nearly forgotten southern writer/activist.
We’re building on the work of others — Dr. Rose Gladney, who has spent decades researching and editing the work of Smith; Dr. Lisa Hodgens who co-edited with Gladney that fine compilation of Smith’s work and letters, “A Lillian Smith Reader” (UGA Press, 2017); Brenda Bynum, who wrote/performed/toured her one-woman show, "Jordan Is So Chilly: An Encounter with Lillian Smith"; and others who have written about and taught Smith in their classes.
We’re very fortunate to share their voices in this documentary.
And fortunate to have the support of nearly 100 people for our fall 2018 crowdfunder.
Along with the support of the Lillian E. Smith Center of Piedmont College, Georgia Humanities, the Watson-Brown Foundation, and the GSU Center for Neighborhood and Metropolitan Studies.
We look forward to getting a lot of feedback during these May screenings. And then we’ll finalize everything over the summer and gear up for fall 2019 and spring 2020 screenings.
