Skip to main content

Zeinabu irene Davis

Professor, Affiliated faculty in Critical Gender Studies and African American Studies Minor

A veteran of independent film and video, Davis has produced numerous award winning works. Her vision is passionately focused on the depiction of African American women - their hopes, dreams, past and future. Her interests include altering and diversifying the terrain of mass media, film history, world cinema and folklore. She frequently writes and lectures on African and African American cinema.

“Spirits of Rebellion: Black Independent Cinema From Los Angeles” HD/DVCam, 101 minutes, documentary, 2016. AWARDS

"Co-Motion: Tales of Breastfeeding Women" - color, DVCam and Super 8 film, documentary essay, 24 minutes, 2010

"Momentum: Conversations with Black Women PhDs at UCSD" - color, DVCam, documentary, 19 minutes, 2010

"Passengers" – color, DVCam, documentary essay, 4 minutes, 2009

"Trumpetistically, Clora Bryant" - color, 56:40 minutes, documentary, multiple formats, video and film, finish on DVCam, release: Fall 2005; Re-master & re-release, 2017

"Delta Children: Future of the Blues" – Collective Team Member, Sound recordist & sound designer, Color, documentary, 4 min, 36 sec., 2008

"Las Abuelas: Latian Grandmothers Explain the World and Other Stories of Faith" Producer/Co-director, Color, 20 minutes, documentary, DVCam, 2005.

"Compensation," black and white, 16mm film, 92 minute drama, 1999.

"Mother of the River," black and white, 16mm film. 30 minute children's drama. 1995.

"A Powerful Thang," color, 16mm film, 57 minute narrative. 1991.

"A Period Piece," color, 3/4" video, 4 minutes, rap video. 1999.

"Trumpetistically, Clora Bryant," color, mixed formats(film & video), 5 minutes, experimental video & documentary, 1989.

"Cycles," black and white, 16mm film, 17 minutes, drama/animation film. 1989.

Publications

Davis, Zeinabu i., "FESPACO 97: Celebrating African & Diasporic Film," The Newsletter of the Black Film Center/Archive, vol. 12, no. 1, Summer 1997.

Davis, Zeinabu i., Wendell Franklin, interviewed by Zeinabu Davis. A Directors Guild of America Publication, 1995.

Exhibitions and Retrospectives

Davis, Zeinabu i., Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, "Time Arts Chicago: in Chicago: Independent Films," January 1997. Mother of the River. (Retrospective of Chicago artists).

Davis, Zeinabu i., Princeton University, "Both Sides of the Camera: Women and Film," April 1996. Cycles, A Powerful Thang.

Davis, Zeinabu i., Indianapolis Museum of Art, "Focus on Film: In Conversation: Zeinabu irene Davis and Phyllis Klotman," February 1996. Cycles, Mother of the River.