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Filmmakers, scholars, Micheaux relatives to attend
Gregory festival
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| By: SUSAN HOFFMANN,
The Daily Republic |
August
07, 2001 |
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GREGORY - A group of Gregory residents is
hosting their sixth annual festival dedicated to the study and
discussion of a black homesteader who went on to become a famous
filmmaker.
The Oscar Micheaux Film Festival, which will be held
Wednesday through Sunday in Gregory, features screenings of Micheaux
films, round table discussions, presentations by Micheaux scholars,
presentations by independent filmmakers who follow Micheaux's
philosophy, and nightly meals at the site of Micheaux's
homestead.
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"Every evening we have suppers right out at the Micheaux
homestead site," said Richard Papousek, president of the Oscar
Micheaux Film Festival. "We have some very unique suppers out
there."
A re-creation of Micheaux's homestead has been built on
the exact location where he lived. "In his book 'The Homesteader' he
provides some very exact descriptions," Papousek said.
There is a
full agenda planned each day of the event, and Papousek said
discussions often go late into the evening after the day's scheduled
events are over.
"There is activity from 9 in the morning until
10 at night" said Alis Veren, one of the event organizers.
The
film festival is held over the period of five days, but even people
who only attend for a day have a worthwhile experience. "(Since)
it's a five-day festival, some people make a day trip out of it,"
Papousek said.
"Every day there will be different aspects of
Micheaux, and every day you will be able to get the flavor of
it."
Many of the events are held in the Dixon Town Hall Theater.
Veren said the facility has theater seating and air
conditioning.
When the notion of hosting a film festival was
first considered, it was thought of as a means to attract tourists.
"We were basically looking for a draw to bring people from out of
South Dakota into our town," Papousek said.
After five years, the
festival has become much more. Last year, people from 30 states
attended and it appeals to people all over the world. "We're moving
in the direction of independent filmmakers right now," Papousek
said.
Professor Kevin Wilmott and David Seals are two independent
filmmakers who will give presentations during the festival. Both men
have been influenced by Micheaux's work.
Micheaux was born in
1884 in Illinois. He worked as a shoe shine boy and Pullman porter
before becoming a South Dakota homesteader.
"He came in 1905 and
he came for the homesteading," Papousek said. "He was a porter on
the railroad and that's how he got here to Gregory County. He came
here to get some free land. He got caught up in the fever, but he
didn't do so well as a farmer."
Micheaux's farming woes were
caused by the harsh South Dakota climate. "He did well for a while,
but then the drought hit."
In order to stay in South Dakota,
Micheaux came up with an idea to generate income. "The only way he
could see to survive was to write a book about his experiences on
the Rosebud," Papousek said.
That led to "Conquest: Story of a
Negro Pioneer," Micheaux's first novel. He sold 2,500 copies of his
books by traveling door-to-door. "He had to go door-to-door because
none of the bookstore owners would put them in their stores"
Papousek said.
While in South Dakota, Micheaux continued to
write. "He produced two other books while he was here," Papousek
said. Those titles include "The Homesteader" and "The Forged
Note."
"The Homesteader" got the attention of a movie production
company - Lincoln Motion Pictures in 1918. Negotiations between the
two parties started and Micheaux learned a lot about the movie
making trade from working with the company. "Somewhere down the line
Micheaux decided he wanted to direct the movie," Papousek
said.
The company was skeptical that a farmer would be capable of
directing, but before they could enter production the deal fell
through. Micheaux went ahead and made the movie on his own.
The
accomplishment provided Micheaux with a list of firsts.
"He was
the first African-American to produce a feature-length film, he was
the first African-American to produce a talking film. He was the
first African-American to produce a film that opened in white
theaters," Papousek said.
Micheaux wrote, produced and directed
44 movies in his life - he is the most prolific black man to make
independent films in the history of the United States. In addition
to the three books he wrote while living in South Dakota, he wrote
four more novels.
One of the reasons the Gregory festival was
started was because Micheaux was so strongly influenced by the time
he spent in South Dakota. "The South Dakota connection plays a big
part in Micheaux's life," Papousek said. "In every book and movie,
there's a part of something from South Dakota in there - it could be
a sign in the background, it could be the language he uses.
"He
loved this area so much he carried it through all his life. He left
South Dakota but South Dakota never left him."
Micheaux scholars
and others interested in his life have a unique opportunity to learn
at the Gregory festival. "To get to know Micheaux they have to come
back and see what he saw and see what he was exposed to," Papousek
said.
Papousek said that potential visitors should not be
intimidated by the festival agenda. "It's not really a scholarly
conference, but there are a lot of scholars here," he said. "(The)
audience joins right in, so it's a real casual atmosphere. It's a
top-caliber professional conference, (but) it's still
relaxed."
You will not find any of the presenters standing in
front of the group and reading their scholarly papers. "That's what
sets us apart from any other conference," Papousek said. "They get
real involved with the community."
Residents of Gregory County
are developing a sense of pride in hosting the event. This year some
new attractions were installed around town, such as new flags on
Main Street and trivia panels of events that happened in
Gregory.
"We're getting a lot of the local people that are
starting to pick up on the Micheaux flavor," Papousek said. "The
town is actually starting to pull together on this thing. It has
kind of created a little renaissance here."
For more information
or to inquire about available housing during the festival, call
(605) 835-8002.
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| ©The Daily
Republic 2001 |
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