Julian transforms a house inherited from his grandmother into the seat of an African-American collective at the urging of his girlfriend. As more people move in, the commune overtakes the house. Under a poster of Godard's La Chinoise in the kitchen, the collective recites African-American poetry, analyzes postcolonial theory, conducts lessons in African languages, and reads engaged literature from the 1970s and 1980s found in the grandmother's chest. With a palette of colors, structure and humorous didacticism referencing Jean-Luc Godard's films, Ephraim Asili introduces an alternative revolutionary canon with the iconography of African-American artists and activists, presented in photos, books and CDs. As group dynamics evolve and actors step out of their roles, the film takes on an increasingly experimental and performative character. The fictional inheritance is a tribute to the heroes and heroines of radical resistance movements: the MOVE group, Black Arts Movement, Sonia Sanchez, Ursula Rucker and many others.
Cinéma du Réel 2021 - Cinéma du Réel Award (competition)
Ephraim Asili (b. 1979) studied Visual Arts and Film and worked as a DJ and radio personality in New York. As a director, he explores the intellectual and cultural history of black people in the US, Africa, and Brazil. In his experimental films, the variety of forms reflect the multiplicity of identities and places on the diaspora's map. The Inheritance is his full-length debut.
2020 Spadkobierca / The Inheritance