Director: Jessie Maple
Writer(s): Jessie Maple (original story), Anthony Wisdom
Starring: Obaka Adedunyo, Loretta Devine, Robert Dean, Audrey Maple, Ellwoodson Williams
Synopsis: Considered the first feature film directed by an African American woman, trailblazer Jessie Maple’s first feature tells the story of a girls’ basketball coach and former athlete, battling heroin addiction as he and his spouse bring up a 12-year-old street kid, “Little Brother,” that they’ve taken in. Maple’s unblinking but compassionate telling of their story renders a Harlem not without its troubles, but brimming with humanity. READ REVIEW
Release Date: 1981 (USA) | Length: 70 min | Genre: Drama | MPAA Rating: NR
This film is not lost. It has been shown in limited release at BAM and a few other places but I didn’t find the actual date of release. I also haven’t been able to find a trailer or a copy of the movie itself, but I’ll keep looking.
This film has been Preserved by New York Women in Film and Television’s Women’s Film Preservation Fund. Print courtesy Black Film Center/Archive, Indiana University – Bloomington.