Marlon Riggs Films in New Criterion Collection
I recently celebrated my 60th birthday. One of the nicest gifts that came my way was a newly-released box set featuring the films of my mentor, the late Marlon Riggs.
It’s called The Signifyn’ Works of Marlon Riggs, whom the prestigious Criterion Collection describes as “a fearless artist who confronted racism and homophobia in America with this intimate, dynamic, influential films”.
Marlon has been sorely missed for 27 years, but he will forever be an inspiration to those who have been shamed into silence and then dare to speak out. In his ground-breaking personal documentary Tongues Untied, he did so with electric imagery and a joyful voice.
Criterion’s trove includes all seven of Marlon’s film, as well as my own PBS biography, I Shall Not be Removed: The Life of Marlon Riggs. Marlon died from AIDS in 1994, while I was still shooting.
You can stream the collection on Criterion, and read my tribute to Marlon here.
Many thanks also to California Newsreel, which has made Marlon’s work available for institutional and educational screenings for three decades.
