Just wanted to describe an interesting experience I had a few years ago, attending a screening of the Teiji Ito version of Deren's "Divine Horseman" which was screened in Brooklyn. The audience was filled primarily with white viewers, but also included one Haitian woman who said she was an experienced Vodou practitioner. After the screening there was a lengthy discussion, which consisted almost entirely of an agonized unleashing of white guilt about how Ito's very conventional 1960s approach to documentary had "distorted" and "falsified" the footage, destroying its authentic spirit. This despite the idea that Ito isn't white, and that as Deren's husband and collaborator, he might well understand something of her intentions and wishes. (I actually know absolutely nothing about how this version of the footage, in fact, came to be, so feel free to fill me in on this.)
After a long while, the Haitian woman in the audience spoke, and she said she loved the way Ito had edited the film. She thought the film was absolutely true to the spirit of Haiti and of Vodou as she had experienced it, and she was completely happy with what Ito had done. I was very glad she was present, to add her perspective. David da...@lakeivan.org www.lakeivan.org
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