Charles Burnett (director) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Burnett
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Burnett pictured in 2008
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| Born | April 13, 1944 Vicksburg, Mississippi, U.S.
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| Occupation | Film director, film producer, writer, editor, actor, photographer, cinematographer |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Known for | Killer of Sheep To Sleep with Anger |
| Spouse(s) | Gaye Shannon-Burnett |
| Children | 2 |
Charles Burnett (born April 13, 1944) is an American filmmaker. He is known for directing, producing, writing, editing, acting, photographing, and filming movies. Some of his most famous films include Killer of Sheep (1978), My Brother's Wedding (1983), and To Sleep with Anger (1990). He has also worked on short films, documentaries, and TV shows.
Many people call Burnett one of America's best filmmakers. The New York Times even called him "the nation's least-known great filmmaker and most gifted black director." He has had a long and varied career in movies.
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About Charles Burnett's Early Life
Burnett was born on April 13, 1944, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. His mother was a nurse's aide, and his father was in the military. In 1947, his family moved to Watts, a neighborhood in South Los Angeles with many Black families.
Charles was interested in art from a young age. However, he felt pressure to get a stable job. This made him hesitate to study film or art in college at first.
How Watts Influenced His Films
The Watts community greatly impacted Burnett's life and his movies. This area became well-known in 1965 due to community unrest. Later, in 1992, more protests happened after a court case involving Rodney King.
Burnett has said that Watts had a strong Southern feel. This was because many people from the Southern U.S. lived there. Watts often influences the topics in his films. His movies often mix Southern stories with modern-day themes. For example, his film Killer of Sheep was set in Watts.
His College Journey
Burnett first went to Los Angeles City College. He studied electronics, thinking he would become an electrician. But he wasn't happy with this path. He took a writing class and realized he wanted to explore his artistic dreams.
He then went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). There, he earned a degree in writing and languages. Burnett once shared that a "serious speech problem" might have led him to become a filmmaker. He felt like an outsider who couldn't speak well. This made him want to find other ways to express himself. He also felt a strong desire to tell stories about the people he grew up with.
UCLA Film School and the Black Independent Movement
Burnett continued his studies at the UCLA film school. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater arts and film. His time at UCLA deeply shaped his work. The students and teachers he met became his mentors and friends.
Some of his classmates became famous filmmakers too. These include Larry Clark, Julie Dash, Haile Gerima, and Billy Woodberry. They often helped each other with their films. For example, Burnett worked as a cinematographer for Haile Gerima's 1979 movie Bush Mama. He was also a crew member for Julie Dash's 1982 film Illusions. His professors Elyseo Taylor and Basil Wright also had a big impact on his work.
The social changes of the late 1960s helped start a filmmaking movement at UCLA. It was called the "Black Independent Movement." Burnett was very involved in this group. These filmmakers, from Africa and America, made movies that connected to the politics and culture of the 1960s. Their films also stayed true to the history of their people. They often showed working-class characters, focusing on family struggles.
These independent filmmakers avoided mainstream Hollywood movies. They earned praise for being honest about African American history. The Black Independent Movement also helped create the Third World Film Club. This club successfully campaigned to end a ban on cultural exchange with Cuba. Many critics have compared their films to other important film movements around the world. These films were also seen as a response to Hollywood and Blaxploitation movies popular at the time.
Charles Burnett's Early Films
Burnett's first films were made while he was a student at UCLA. He made them with friends. These include Several Friends (1969) and The Horse (1973). For these, he was the director, producer, and editor.
His Major Films
Killer of Sheep (1978)
Killer of Sheep was Burnett's first full-length movie. It was also his master's thesis at UCLA. It took him five years to finish and was released in 1978. The cast was mostly his friends and fellow filmmakers. He filmed it mostly with a handheld camera, making it feel like a documentary.
The main character, Stan, was played by Henry G. Sanders. Stan works at a slaughterhouse and struggles to earn enough money for his family. The film's website says the movie "offers no solutions; it merely presents life." Killer of Sheep explores themes like family life, childhood, and fighting against unfairness. The soundtrack features jazz, blues, and ballads.
The film was not shown widely at first. This was due to its poor print quality and problems getting music rights. Later, the UCLA Film & Television archive restored it. The re-released film won many awards. These include the critics' award at the Berlin International Film Festival and first place at the Sundance Film Festival. It was also added to the National Film Registry in 1990. In 2002, it was chosen as one of the 100 Essential Films of All Time. Burnett received a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in 1981 after the film was completed.
My Brother's Wedding (1983)
Burnett directed, produced, filmed, and wrote My Brother's Wedding. This was his second full-length movie. However, it wasn't widely released after getting a mixed review from The New York Times.
Like Killer of Sheep, many actors in this film were not professionals. The main character, Pierce Mundy, struggles to choose between his brother's middle-class life and his best friend's working-class world. This was Burnett's first movie shot in color on 35mm film. It cost about $80,000 to make. The movie was later restored and re-edited by Burnett himself.
To Sleep with Anger (1990)
To Sleep with Anger was Burnett's first film with a larger budget, costing about $1.4 million. He received a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. This grant helped him support his family while working on the film.
The movie is set in South Central LA. It explores themes of family and Southern folklore, like many of his films. The story is about a family that welcomes a guest from the South. This guest overstays his welcome and causes problems for the family. This film was Burnett's first to feature professional actors. Danny Glover played the lead role and even invested in the film's production.
Even though critics loved To Sleep with Anger, it didn't do well at the box office. Burnett believes this was because of poor distribution. The film won many awards. These include best screenplay from the National Society of Film Critics. It also won two Independent Spirit Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay.
The Glass Shield (1994)
The Glass Shield tells a story about corruption and racism in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. This was Burnett's first film aimed at a wider audience. It stars rap artist Ice Cube as a man wrongly accused of murder.
The main character, JJ Johnson, is played by Michael Boatman. The film highlights how powerless African American and female characters can feel. Johnson's fellow Sheriff's Deputy, the first woman at the station, faces sexism at work and on the streets. She is played by Lori Petty. The Glass Shield was nominated for an award at the 1994 Festival del film Locarno. It earned about $3 million in the U.S.
Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation (2007)
Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation tells the story of Namibia's fight for independence from South African rule. The film is based on the memories of Namibia's first president, Sam Nujoma. He was the former leader of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO).
Both main actors, Carl Lumbly and Danny Glover, had worked with Burnett before. They both appeared in To Sleep with Anger. The movie was filmed in Namibia. Casting was hard because over 200 speaking parts were given to local Namibians. Many of them had different dialects. The film was shown on opening night at the 2008 New York African Film Festival.
Documentaries by Charles Burnett
Burnett has made many documentaries. These include America Becoming (1991), Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland (1998), and Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property (2003).
- America Becoming was a TV documentary about ethnic diversity in America. It focused on how new immigrants and other racial groups got along.
- Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland was a short film about a civil rights activist and professor. She worked hard to overcome racism and injustice.
- Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property featured Burnett's actor friend Carl Lumbly. This movie won an award for cinematography in 2003.
Short Films by Charles Burnett
Burnett has been involved in many short films. These include Several Friends (1969), The Horse (1973), When It Rains (1995), and Quiet as Kept (2007).
- When It Rains is about a musician trying to help his friend pay her rent.
- Quiet as Kept tells the story of a family who had to move after Hurricane Katrina.
Television Films by Charles Burnett
Burnett has directed many movies made for television. These include Nightjohn (1996), Oprah Winfrey Presents: The Wedding (1998), and Selma, Lord, Selma (1999).
- Nightjohn was based on a novel by Gary Paulsen. It premiered on the Disney Channel in 1996 and received high praise. The story is about an escaped slave who learns to read. He then returns to his old home to teach others. Nightjohn won several awards, including the Vision Award in 1997.
- Oprah Winfrey Presents: The Wedding was directed by Burnett. Halle Berry and Carl Lumbly star in this drama. It is about the wedding of a wealthy African American woman and a poor white musician.
- Selma, Lord, Selma is a Disney movie. It follows a young girl inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.. She decides to join the historic protest march from Selma to Montgomery. This film was nominated for a Humanitas Prize in 1999.
- Finding Buck McHenry is about a young boy who tries to find out if his baseball coach is a former baseball legend. This film won a Daytime Emmy in 2001.
Awards and Recognition
In 1988, Charles Burnett won a MacArthur Fellowship. This award is given to talented individuals to support their personal projects.
Burnett also received the Freedom in Film Award. This award honored his dedication to showing cultural and historical topics that he felt were important. He focused on these stories rather than just commercial success. In 1997, the Film Society of Lincoln Center honored him. He also received grants from the Rockefeller Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Howard University gave him the Paul Robeson Award for his achievements in cinema. To celebrate his work, the mayor of Seattle declared February 20, 1997, "Charles Burnett Day."
In September 2017, it was announced that Burnett would receive a Governors Award. This is also known as an "honorary Oscar" from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Common Themes in His Work
Charles Burnett's films often explore how history affects families. He also aimed to make movies about working-class African Americans that avoided stereotypes. Burnett has said that he makes films about real emotions and problems like growing up and finding your identity. He also often includes themes of freedom and struggle. This might be because of his involvement with UCLA's Third World Film Club. This club supported revolutions happening around the world in the 1960s and 1970s.
Other Projects
In 1999, Burnett directed The Annihilation of Fish. This film is a romance starring James Earl Jones and Lynn Redgrave. It won several awards, including the Jury Award from the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2001.
Burnett also directed the TV series American Family with two other directors. This series was nominated for two Emmys and a Golden Globe Award. Burnett also acted in the documentary Pierre Rissient: Man of Cinema. He is currently working on two film projects: The Emir Abd El-Kadir and 83 Days: The Murder of George Stinney.
In January 2019, it was announced that Burnett would direct a film called Steal Away. This movie is based on the true story of Robert Smalls's escape from slavery.
Personal Life
Charles Burnett is married to actress and costume designer Gaye Shannon-Burnett. They have two sons, Steven and Jonathan.
Filmography
- Several Friends (short, 1969)
- The Horse (short, 1973)
- Killer of Sheep (1978)
- My Brother's Wedding (1983)
- Bless Their Little Hearts (1984)
- To Sleep with Anger (1990)
- America Becoming (TV documentary, 1991)
- The Glass Shield (1994)
- When It Rains (short, 1995)
- Nightjohn (television film, 1996)
- The Final Insult (docufiction short, 1997)
- The Wedding (TV, 1998)
- Dr. Endesha Ida Mae Holland (documentary short, 1998)
- Selma, Lord, Selma (television film, 1999)
- The Annihilation of Fish (1999)
- Olivia's Story (short, 2000)
- Finding Buck McHenry (television film, 2000)
- American Family (TV series, 2002)
- Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property (TV documentary, 2003)
- For Reel? (TV, 2003)
- The Blues: Warming by the Devil's Fire (TV documentary, 2003)
- Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation (2007)
- Quiet as Kept (short, 2007)
- Relative Stranger (television film, 2009)
- Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution (with Daniel Loewenthal, TV documentary, 2018)
