S9 #79 Oct 01, 24

Imani Dennison on Black Culture, Storytelling, and The People Could Fly

In this episode of The Truth in This Art, I sit down with multidisciplinary artist, curator, and award-winning filmmaker Imani Dennison. Imani’s work delves into the rich narratives of Black culture in the South and the African diaspora, blending folklore, fantasy, and hidden histories in her storytelling. We explore her journey growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, her time at Howard University, and how these experiences have shaped her artistic voice. Imani shares her passion for documentary filmmaking and photography, particularly focusing on her latest film, The People Could Fly, which highlights the significance of roller rink culture in Louisville as a vital community space.

Join us as we discuss Imani’s creative process, her dedication to preserving Black history, and how she brings her unique perspective to the world of film and art.

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:

Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
Edited by Daniel Alexis
Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor

Photos:

Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.

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Creators and Guests

Host

Rob Lee

The Truth In This Art is an interview series featuring artists, entrepreneurs and tastemakers in & around Baltimore.

Guest

Imani Dennison

Imani Dennison, she/they, is a multidisciplinary artist, curator and award winning Filmmaker born in Louisville, Kentucky. Imani graduated from Howard University where they studied Political Science and Photography. Imani’s work interrogates histories of Black culture in the South and African diaspora, usually centered in folklore, fantasy, and hidden histories. Imani is a 2023 Flaherty curator fellow and head Programmer at Black Science Fiction; a Black led creative experiment dedicated to the preservation of Black imagination. Imani has created commissioned documentary works for PBS, Tribeca, ITVS, and Procter & Gamble. Imani is a part of the 2022 Tribeca Queen Collective Directing Program where they recently released their latest film, Bone Black: Midwives vs the South that made its international premier at the Tribeca Film Festival. This work has gone on to win Best Short Documentary at both the 2023 Black Star Film festival and New Orleans Film festival. Imani is currently a 2023 Chicken & Egg/POV grant recipient allowing them to advance on finishing their short creative non-fiction film, The People Could Fly about the ritual of roller skating and how roller rinks emerged as sanctuaries for Black culture in Louisville, Kentucky.