Classic Black Cinema Series: Cabin In The Sky

Cabin in the Sky was an auspicious directorial debut for the young Vincente Minnelli and provided Lena Horne and Ethel Waters with an excellent showcase for their considerable talents. Musical legends also featured in this classic movie are Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and the Hall Johnson Choir.

The film is often criticized for what is currently regarded as stereotypical characteristics – a weakness for gambling, a childish world view, oversimplified religious beliefs – but overall Minnelli treats the story as a simple folktale.

Specifically designed as a vehicle to expose the community to the vast artistic value black film has had throughout the years, the goal of the film series is to appeal to as diverse a population as possible and further the appreciation of Black cinema. Curator and host, Felix Curtis, came to Charlotte from the Oakland/San Francisco Bay area where he curated The San Francisco Black Film Festival and Black Filmworks, the annual film festival component of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, where he later served as Executive Director.