The Blues Society

FAIN: TR-285459-22

Center for Independent Documentary, Inc. (Newton, MA 02458-1341)
Augusta L Palmer (Project Director: August 2021 to present)

Post-production of a film exploring the legacy of the Memphis Country Blues Festival and development of a website offering additional resources and curriculum materials.

To support post-production and outreach for "The Blues Society," a documentary film exploring the history and impact of the Memphis Country Blues Festivals of the late 1960s.

Associated Products

The Blues Society (Film/TV/Video Broadcast or Recording)
Title: The Blues Society
Writer: Augusta Palmer
Director: Augusta Palmer
Producer: Augusta Palmer
Abstract: In the segregated South of the 1960s, Blues masters and Beatniks created The Memphis Country Blues Festival (1966-1970), an event that rocked the foundations of a conservative world. This documentary weaves together hypnotic and unforgettable performances with animation, archival images, and a chorus of diverse voices, creating a moving image mixtape that both celebrates the music and re-evaluates the era. Memphis Blues players Furry Lewis and Robert T. Wilkins should be household names, and their musical performances in the film are riveting. Their work inspired The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and generations of rockstars. The festival organizers wanted to celebrate and learn from these Blues heroes. But, as sociologist Zandria Robinson states in the film, "There is always a disconnect that complicates cross-racial friendships and collaborations because that power dynamic is always sitting there in that room, in the deep context of the music." Directed by the daughter of one of the festival organizers, The Blues Society is a kaleidoscopic documentary that asks viewers to draw their own conclusions about the events presented. The film encourages viewers to ask questions about race, music, and American culture and to reconsider their preconceptions about Blues music and Blues history.
Year: 2023
Primary URL: http://thebluessocietyfilm.com
Primary URL Description: Primary website for the film.
Secondary URL: http://https://www.freestyledigitalmedia.tv/film/the-blues-society/
Secondary URL Description: Distributor's page for The Blues Society
Access Model: open access
Format: Video
Format: DVD
Format: Digital File
Format: Web

Prizes

Audience Award
Date: 10/30/2023
Organization: Indie Memphis Film Festival
Abstract: Audience Award for Sounds (Music) Film

Best Feature Documentary
Date: 3/23/2024
Organization: Oxford Film Festival
Abstract: Jury Statement: The Blues Society is an evocative reintroduction to the most important contributions of Memphis Country Blues to the fabric of American music. Using priceless archival footage and engaging interviews to provide depth and context, it transports the audience to 1960s Memphis, reflecting o the blurred lines between appreciation and appropriation and examining how we weigh intent against impact at the crossroads of race, culture and economics.

Honorable Mention
Date: 1/29/2024
Organization: Spring 2024 New Jersey Film Festival
Abstract: Honorable mention as one of the best selections at the festival

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