Melvonna Ballenger facts for kids

Melvonna "Mel" Marie Ballenger (born August 6, 1954 – died June 25, 2003) was an American filmmaker. She was a director, producer, and writer. Melvonna made short films that spoke out about important issues. She was part of the L.A. Rebellion film movement. This was a group of filmmakers from UCLA. She passed away at 48 years old.

Learning and Film School

Melvonna Ballenger was born in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1972, she joined a special workshop. This workshop was for young minority journalists. It was held at the University of Missouri. After high school, she went to Stephens College. Later, she transferred to Howard University.

At Howard University, Melvonna studied broadcast journalism. She also worked at the university's radio station, WHUR-FM. She earned a bachelor's degree in Communications. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles. There, she joined the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She studied film and television production. This is where her journey as an inspiring filmmaker truly began.

Her Work as a Filmmaker

Melvonna Ballenger lived in California for most of her life. She worked in Hollywood for a while. She was with Capital Records. Later, she produced TV shows for Continental Cable company. In her shows, she often focused on issues important to the black community.

Melvonna really enjoyed teaching young people about film. She loved sharing the art of filmmaking. For many years, she directed the student festival. This was part of the Pan African Film Festival. Later in her life, she taught film and humanities. She taught students in Los Angeles. She even created a talk show for them.

Getting Noticed

Melvonna's first film was called Rain (or Nyesha). She made it for a school project at UCLA. She and other filmmakers in the L.A. Rebellion program were encouraged. They were told to show real-life challenges. These challenges often related to the black community. The main goal of her films was to raise awareness. She wanted people to think about important social issues.

A writer named John William mentioned Melvonna. He wrote about her in an article. It was called "Daughters of the Diaspora." This article listed many black women filmmakers. Melvonna's work at UCLA helped her gain recognition. She became known as a rising African American filmmaker.

Recognition in 1984

The year 1984 was important for Melvonna. She received a lot of recognition for her short films.

The Los Angeles Times newspaper mentioned her. She received an honorable mention. This was at the California Museum of Science and Industry. Her film Rain was also praised. The article said it "sees everyday life through the eyes of a poet."

Her film Nappy-Headed Lady was also mentioned. The Star-Gazette newspaper wrote about it. This happened in 1984 during Black History Month. The article described it as a "story of a black woman who changes her hair style as she begins to appreciate her racial heritage."

Films

• Rain (Nyesha) (1978)
• Gidget Meets Hondo (1980)
• Nappy-Headed Lady (1983)
• Dreadlocks and the Three Bears (1991)
• Fragrance (1991)