CONWAY, Ark. (March 28, 2022)–The Windgate Museum of Art (WMA) at Hendrix
College, in conjunction with the Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS), is proud to
announce the screening of The Legend of
the Underground on April 6 at 6 p.m. This powerful documentary will be
screened in the Hundley-Shell Theater, free of charge and open to all. The
screening is part of ACS’s Dreamland Film Series celebrating Black voices in
cinema and the WMA’s ongoing programming in film. It will be followed by a Q+A
with Director of Photography and Co-producer Stephen Bailey.
“We are very excited to partner with the Windgate Museum of Art at
Hendrix College to screen The Legend of the Underground,” said ACS
Executive Director Kathryn Tucker. “Our Dreamland Film Series celebrates black
voices in cinema and shines a light on communities of color, not only in the
United States, but worldwide. This documentary spotlights the struggles of the
Black LGBTQ+ community in a powerful and intimate way. ACS is proud to have a
filmmaker like Stephen Bailey return to Arkansas after his time at the Clinton
School of Public Service to discuss his current work.”
“The WMA is proud to partner with the Arkansas Cinema Society on this
important and timely film,” said Mary Kennedy, WMA Director. “Our Museum
Associate in Film, JaZmyn Shambley, is working with ACS to create a warm and
welcoming event for everyone. We hope folks will attend the screening and be
part of the discussion. We are always pleased to bring new and compelling
programs to our campus.”
Premiering last year on HBO to overwhelmingly positive reviews, The Legend of the Underground (Giselle
Bailey, Nneka Onuorah, 2021) captures the violent discrimination of LGTBIQ+
individuals in Nigeria. Directors Bailey and Onuorah follow the lives of
several young men who must choose to either live a life of fear and secrecy in
Lagos, Nigeria, where homosexuality is still condemned, or flee to the U.S.,
where they can more freely express their sexual identity. Even as the
documentary portrays heartbreaking moments of police brutality, there are also scenes
of lighthearted humor, joy, and communal bonding. The Legend of the Underground foregrounds an underrepresented
community and subculture in a beautifully authentic and heartfelt way. In their
fight to live out loud in Nigeria, the subjects of this evocative documentary
represent the youth taking a stand for change in a way that both celebrates
Blackness and Queerness.
About Stephen Bailey
Bailey is an award-winning Jamaican-American Director of Photography and
Producer. His work has taken him to over 20 countries across the world to cover
the battle for Mosul in Iraq, humanity’s fight to save a species in Kenya, the
effects of addiction in America’s heartland and the resilience of Nigeria’s
underground nonconformist community. Whether branded, docu-series or feature
format, Bailey has been fortunate to work with clients like HBO, Netflix,
NatGeo, VICE and The New York Times
in order to share and produce stories that highlight the power of the human
spirit, give a voice to those who are underrepresented or misunderstood and
generate empathy for ourselves and each other. Bailey is a graduate of the
Clinton School of Public Service.
About the Windgate Museum of Art
The Windgate Museum of Art is located on the campus of Hendrix College. With a
vision to be the premier teaching art museum in Arkansas, the WMA presents
outstanding art exhibitions, compelling educational programs, and invigorating
social activities for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to campus. Free
and open to all, the museum uses hands-on experiences to train students in all
facets of museum work. The Windgate Museum of Art is made possible with the
generous support of the Windgate Foundation, the Alice L. Walton Foundation,
the Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable and Educational Trust, Arkadelphia,
Arkansas, the Munro Foundation, the Clarence E. Anthony Charitable Trust, and
the Rebsamen Fund.
For more information about WMA programming, visit our website at
windgatemuseum.org, follow @windgatemuseum on Instagram and @WMAatHDX on Facebook,
or contact us at windgatemuseum@hendrix.edu.
About the Arkansas Cinema
Society
Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS) is
a non-profit committed to building a film community in Arkansas where film lovers
can watch films, share ideas, connect with each other, and nurture the new and
existing film talent within our state through increased exposure to filmmakers
and their art. Memberships are available to the public at large who may wish to
dive into educational videos, member-only tickets, movie swag, and more. Those
interested in supporting ACS can visit their website at www.arkansascinemasociety.org.