Bryan
Anton Rose, American film director, writer, author, and inspirational speaker noted
for his films dealing in youth social issues.
Bryan
was the first African American to be voted “Best Writer” at the Danville High School
and excelled in athletics. At 23, he made his first film “Colored Black”, a
documentary about how young African Americans view themselves in comparison to other
races that was soon followed by another documentary “The Bottoms” (Urban
renewal and Remembering A Neighbourhood), in which he worked with the
accomplished filmmaker Mike Boedicker. Bryan was offered the Genius Grant to make
four more segments of Colored Black in New York and complete a highly anticipated
film “The Good Child” about a young man’s view of the church. His narrative film
“Life with Siren” exposes the slave like conditions in a northern Indian tea garden.
He shares his views with Abhjit Ganguly.
Why are you so interested in social issues?
It starts with my faith. I am a Third Culture Christian. I always faced the reality
of being a Black American growing up in a diverse community in the US. I know the
issues of every society and culture and I take it personally. If I see any
injustice made to women I think of saying something about it or doing something
about it. Social issues have always been and will always be a big part of my life.
In
India I look at race relations between individuals. Being in America, my grandparents
struggled for equality. I see in India that has not really happened so much yet.
India is an exciting place for me. The youth are the heartbeat of social change
here. Social issues are definitely what I am going to be involved in. India
needs its filmmaking community to bring about change in society. They need to reveal
the truth about what is going on. I also plan to do that in India.
“Coloured Black” showed the gap between coloured and white communities in the US
in the past. What are your views about the growing importance of African Americans
in the US, even in the White House?
I didn’t accept the Genius Grant, instead I chose to relocate to a flat in the South
Shore section of Chicago to make the segments of Colored Black. That was around
the same time Barack Obama started to prepare his first presidential run and Chicago
was such an exciting place to be in during that period in America.
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Bryan at International Institute of Film and Television
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That
Film, “Colored Black” was definitely a racially charged project. I was only 23 at
the time and I grew up in a very diverse community so race relations were not very
important in my life, so it was a learning experience for me. President Obama, who
endorsed the film and met with one of the actors, is a key figure in the importance
of diversity in any powerful yet positive position. I look forward to when I can
see Black Indians in positions of influence.
Is Urban Renewal and Remembering a Neighbour- hood (The Bottoms) just nostalgic
or do you show the closing of the urban-rural divide in the country?
In “The Bottoms”, there is a mix of both nostalgia and the negative of gentrification
that is shown on screen. My father’s family lived in the community that was uprooted
and yes, there were a lot of hurt feelings from the neighbourhood families. But
moving onto a better situation was the key for them. The film mostly
highlighted the positive memories the Bottom’s residents shared during their time
spent.
What do you think of your documentary on Indian education?
Education is everything in India. It indicates social status. It is big business.
I come from a culture of people who want to know if you can do the work. For instance,
when I hire someone I don’t see where they have studied, rather I see their portfolio.
I am more performance- based. One thing I love about the Indian education system
is its competitiveness. But again people are like machines, they memorize a lot
but can’t solve problems. I am not really interested in memorizing. I learned a
lot while doing that documentary.
What
are your upcoming projects?
I am presently producing and directing a very controversial Hindi/English film
titled “First Lady” about an emotionally abandoned pastor’s wife who moonlights
under a different persona looking for affection in the darkest places.
I
am expecting a lot of protests and backlash for this project, I expect people will
understand it clearly once they see it. I have been in India a few years and understand
the culture of things, so I am sure that many organizations and individuals will
have a problem with the film. Good thing I don’t make films to make friends. This
is the first narrative film in India I am financing myself, hopefully it will not
be the last.
What do you think of filmmakers of India?
They have so much talent! In US the music is the culture. In India film is the culture.
So film is much more important. But brilliant filmmakers are not necessarily
telling the truth openly yet. When they start telling the truth openly a new style
of film making will emerge.
Your advice to aspiring filmmakers in India?
Great article! Where can we see the films? It's interesting that his hometown is near where I live.
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