CHRISTINA N. BAKER is an associate professor in the Department of History & Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Merced. She is the author of Contemporary Black Women Filmmakers and the Art of Resistance and the editor of Kasi Lemmons: Interviews.

"In showcasing the incredible range of films made by Black women directors from the silent era to the present day, Christina N. Baker masterfully reveals the rich diversity of their work, their astounding creativity, and their impressive resilience in the face of an often-hostile industry."- Allyson Nadia Field (co-editor of L.A. Rebellion: Creating a New Black Cinema) "Christina N. Baker offers an engaging study on the vibrant and, yet, overlooked contributions of Black women directors. With astute and accessible prose, Baker deftly reveals a rich cinema history that highlights forgotten, groundbreaking, independent, and mainstream Black women filmmakers. This compact and resourceful text will inform and inspire."- Samantha N. Sheppard (author of Sporting Blackness: Race, Embodiment, and Critical Muscle Memory on Screen) “This eloquently written book is an essential read for those who want to learn about Black women behind the camera. Baker skillfully weaves Black feminist theory with the ideals and goals of Black women directors from the beginnings of cinema to contemporary times. Her careful consideration of how pioneer Kathleen Collins influenced the women of the LA Rebellion and Ava DuVernay is thoughtful and illuminating.” - Zeinabu irene Davis (Professor and Independent Filmmaker, University of California, San Diego) "Recent Books of Interest to Women Scholars" (Women in Academia Report)

• Introduction1. Recognizing the Pioneers 2. Women of the L.A. Rebellion 3. Moving into the Mainstream 4. More than Mainstream Acknowledgments Further ReadingSelected FilmographyWorks Cited Index

CHRISTINA N. BAKER is an associate professor in the Department of History & Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Merced. She is the author of Contemporary Black Women Filmmakers and the Art of Resistance and the editor of Kasi Lemmons: Interviews.

"In showcasing the incredible range of films made by Black women directors from the silent era to the present day, Christina N. Baker masterfully reveals the rich diversity of their work, their astounding creativity, and their impressive resilience in the face of an often-hostile industry."- Allyson Nadia Field (co-editor of L.A. Rebellion: Creating a New Black Cinema) "Christina N. Baker offers an engaging study on the vibrant and, yet, overlooked contributions of Black women directors. With astute and accessible prose, Baker deftly reveals a rich cinema history that highlights forgotten, groundbreaking, independent, and mainstream Black women filmmakers. This compact and resourceful text will inform and inspire."- Samantha N. Sheppard (author of Sporting Blackness: Race, Embodiment, and Critical Muscle Memory on Screen) “This eloquently written book is an essential read for those who want to learn about Black women behind the camera. Baker skillfully weaves Black feminist theory with the ideals and goals of Black women directors from the beginnings of cinema to contemporary times. Her careful consideration of how pioneer Kathleen Collins influenced the women of the LA Rebellion and Ava DuVernay is thoughtful and illuminating.” - Zeinabu irene Davis (Professor and Independent Filmmaker, University of California, San Diego) "Recent Books of Interest to Women Scholars" (Women in Academia Report)

• Introduction1. Recognizing the Pioneers 2. Women of the L.A. Rebellion 3. Moving into the Mainstream 4. More than Mainstream Acknowledgments Further ReadingSelected FilmographyWorks Cited Index

CHRISTINA N. BAKER is an associate professor in the Department of History & Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Merced. She is the author of Contemporary Black Women Filmmakers and the Art of Resistance and the editor of Kasi Lemmons: Interviews.

"In showcasing the incredible range of films made by Black women directors from the silent era to the present day, Christina N. Baker masterfully reveals the rich diversity of their work, their astounding creativity, and their impressive resilience in the face of an often-hostile industry."- Allyson Nadia Field (co-editor of L.A. Rebellion: Creating a New Black Cinema) "Christina N. Baker offers an engaging study on the vibrant and, yet, overlooked contributions of Black women directors. With astute and accessible prose, Baker deftly reveals a rich cinema history that highlights forgotten, groundbreaking, independent, and mainstream Black women filmmakers. This compact and resourceful text will inform and inspire."- Samantha N. Sheppard (author of Sporting Blackness: Race, Embodiment, and Critical Muscle Memory on Screen) “This eloquently written book is an essential read for those who want to learn about Black women behind the camera. Baker skillfully weaves Black feminist theory with the ideals and goals of Black women directors from the beginnings of cinema to contemporary times. Her careful consideration of how pioneer Kathleen Collins influenced the women of the LA Rebellion and Ava DuVernay is thoughtful and illuminating.” - Zeinabu irene Davis (Professor and Independent Filmmaker, University of California, San Diego) "Recent Books of Interest to Women Scholars" (Women in Academia Report)

• Introduction1. Recognizing the Pioneers 2. Women of the L.A. Rebellion 3. Moving into the Mainstream 4. More than Mainstream Acknowledgments Further ReadingSelected FilmographyWorks Cited Index