MoMA Hosts Filmmaker in Focus: Euzhan Palcy May 18-30

The Museum of Modern Art announces the first comprehensive U.S. retrospective of the works of filmmaker Euzhan Palcy, presenting nine feature films, including four New York premieres, May 18 through 30, 2011, in The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters. Over the last 25 years, Palcy has produced and directed over 15 narrative and documentary films, featuring performances by such actors as Marlon Brando, Susan Sarandon, Donald Sutherland, and Alan Alda, and exploring themes of race, gender, and politics from a decidedly feminist perspective. Filmmaker in Focus: Euzhan Palcy is organized by Ron Magliozzi, Assistant Curator, and Anne Morra, Associate Curator, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art.

Born in Martinique in 1958, Palcy left for Paris in 1975 to study at the Sorbonne, earning a master's degree in French Literature and a film degree from Louis Lumière College. With the encouragement of her mentor François Truffaut, Palcy filmed her first feature Rue Cases-Nègres (Sugar Cane Alley) in 1983, earning over 17 international awards including the Venice Film Festival's Silver Lion. Palcy's impressive work gained the attention of Robert Redford who invited her to attend the 1984 Sundance Director's Lab, a program of the Sundance Institute. In 1989, Palcy became the first black woman director to have her work produced by a major Hollywood studio (with MGM's A Dry White Season). Palcy has been honored with the distinction of Knight in the National Order Merit (1994), was presented with the Sojourner Truth Award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, and received the French Medal of Honor (2004). In addition to being honored with MoMA's retrospective, Palcy will also be recognized at the 64th Cannes Film Festival with a special tribute in May.

Filmmaker in Focus: Euzhan Palcy
May 18-30, 2011
The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters