Bud Watch Party ~ Rita Dove: An American Poet
- Virtual Event -- Access Info Below
The film is made from a series of in-depth, on-camera, conversations with Poet Laureate Rita Dove, conducted and recorded by Eduardo Montes-Bradley between September 2012, and October 2013. These conversations were later edited using hundreds of still images and several hours of home movies from the Dove family's collection.
The intimacy of the dialogue accounts for a unique, and very personal insight into the wide range of Dove's artistic passions. Most of these images are the results of the efforts of Rita Dove's father (Ray A. Dove) to record family life in the 1950s and 1960s. Mr. Ray Dove recorded in 8mm and Super 8mm birthdays, the opening of gifts on Christmas Day year after year, holidays and family excursions. According to the filmmaker, "Rita's father is omnipresent and perhaps the silent protagonist of the film as he captured images of Rita which have become fundamental clues to the evolution of the suburban middle class African American child into the celebrated poet we know and recognize."
Check out Rita Dove's latest poetry collection Playlist for the Apocalypse, her National Book Award finalist and NAACP Image Award winner Collected Poems 1974–2004, or her Pulitzer Prize winning poetry collection Thomas and Beulah.
Stream the 48-minute film at the link. Log on to Kanopy to watch for free with your library card.
About Bud's Watch Party
In addition to our in-person film screenings in Library Hall, Bud Werner Library continues to spearhead special opportunities to view hot documentaries at home. The library hopes that you'll enjoy watching these thoughtful films, then come together for community conversations to share the experience.