If I like a film, I usually appreciate the way it was made the first time. Kasi Lemmons More Quotes by Kasi Lemmons More Quotes From Kasi Lemmons The biggest challenges are always getting into the rooms that you need to get into and having people open to the types of stories that I want to tell. And I feel that just being a female director and doing that is a big deal in this country. On my third movie I worked with a French DP. I asked him has he ever worked with a woman director before? He said in France a third of directors are women; so you can’t avoid them. So I realized that the US is behind. Kasi Lemmons challenges country people One of my foolish qualities is to jump boldly, and then think about it later. Kasi Lemmons quality foolish thinking Honestly, I do spend most of my time between films trying to get the next one made. Kasi Lemmons honestly film trying I think Black Nativity movie has a very clear message. It's about a family in crisis facing some of the very familiar struggles we face in our communities. It's really about love, redemption, forgiveness, faith and family, the things that have gotten us through so many hard times, and that continue to get us through them. When times are hard, we need each other. Kasi Lemmons hard-times struggle thinking Perseverance is what I tell my students. It's important that you keep your dream alive, because you're going to encounter a lot of obstacles, and no one is going to dream big for you. You have to have the fortitude and the resilience to stick with your own dreams. That can be hard. Kasi Lemmons perseverance resilience dream I wanted to pay homage to someone who was such an important literary figure in my life. I think Langston Hughes would be proud of the picture Black Nativity, yet it's a contemporary story about a family living in Harlem. I named the lead character Langston, put a little bit of poetry in there, and some Langston Hughes quotes, and, of course, his stage play, Black Nativity. Kasi Lemmons black character thinking My guiltiest pleasure is reading a novel with a glass of wine. I love to read voraciously. I always have. And I love to lose myself in a good book. Kasi Lemmons wine reading book If I was not a film-maker I'd probably be a musician. I like Kanye West, Jay-Z, R&B, classical, jazz and all kinds of music, but I'd say soulful World Music is my favorite. Kasi Lemmons jazz musician world I don't over-think my existence. I'm a very imperfect person, like most of us are. I'm also a very busy person. I have a family. I have a career. I'm a professor at NYU. I have a full life for which I feel grateful every day. Kasi Lemmons imperfect grateful busy As someone who tried to be great. I don't know if one ever gets to greatness, but I've put in a good effort, and will continue to do so. Kasi Lemmons effort greatness I encountered Newton when I was growing up, and it has kind of made me who I am, although I came to love Boston. It's a complicated city. Some of the smartest people in the world are in Boston. How many institutions of higher learning are in that one area? It's a pool of intelligence. It's a great town. You can encounter racism anywhere. I have a lot of nostalgic feelings about Boston. It was a cool place to grow up. Kasi Lemmons growing-up racism people I love working with young artists. Jacob Latimore was the first kid that I auditioned. After he walked out, I turned to my husband and said, "I think that's the kid. I don't know if I have to look any further. He's the one!" He's a real star. Kasi Lemmons husband real kids Black Nativity certainly lends itself to reinterpretation. It was kind of designed to be infused with the creativity of whoever is putting it on, and every performance is a little bit different. So, this is definitely my version of Black Nativity. It has its own story, which is a family story. Langston Hughes' Black Nativity informs it, and is contained within it. Kasi Lemmons creativity black different I've come to really believe that I have something to offer as a filmmaker, that goes beyond what I had to offer as an actress and maybe this is what I'm meant to do. Kasi Lemmons filmmaker actresses believe I'm able to inspire other people, to see the potential of a career, they can look to me and see that they can do it. Kasi Lemmons careers inspire people I don't want to rob Harriet Tubman of either Harriet Tubman womanhood or Harriet Tubman superheroism, because we need our black women superheroes. Kasi Lemmons top-news
