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Neema Barnette

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Neema Barnette
Born (1949-12-14) December 14, 1949 (age 74)
New York City, United States
Occupation(s)Director, producer
Years active1982–present
SpouseReed R. McCants (1 child)

Neema Barnette is an American film director and producer,[1][2] and the first African-American woman to direct a primetime sitcom.[3] Barnette was the first African-American woman to get a three-picture deal with Sony Pictures.[4] Since then, she accumulated a number of awards, including a Peabody, an Emmy and an NAACP Image Award.[5]

Early life

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Neema Barnette, born on December 14, 1949, to African parentage. She attended the High School For The Performing Arts, and began her career as a stage actress. Barnette continued her education by attending The City College of New York earning a BA. She also received a MFA from NYU School Of The Arts.[6]

Career

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At age 21, Barnette directed the play The Blue Journey by OyamO, at Joseph Papp's Public Theater. In 1982, Barnette co-produced the Emmy Award-winning After-School Special, "To Be a Man" along with Cliff Frazier, who was also the writer and director. The both won Emmys for Outstanding Children's Programming. The movie starred, Robert Earl Jones, Estelle Evans, Stuart Bascombe, Julius Hollingsworth and Curtis Worthy. James Earl Jones (Robert Earl Jones son), was executive director.[7][6][8][9]

Barnette has directed stage, episodic television, made for TV movies and feature films. Sky Captain was her first short film which she directed as part of the American Film Institute's (AFI) Directing Workshop for Women in 1985.[10]

In 1990, she founded Harlem Girl Productions Corporation. Since 1997, Barnette has also worked for the Harlem Lite Productions. She has directed multiple seasons and episodes of a variety of television sitcoms including A Different World, The Cosby Show, Gilmore Girls, and 7th Heaven.[11]

In 1997, Barnette directed the film Spirit Lost, a psychological thriller with a love triangle that includes a ghost.[1][12] Robin R. Means Coleman wrote in her book Horror Noire that Spirit Lost was a "rare horror film that was nearly an all-female affair" and that the film prominently featured characters that served as moral arbiter and saviors.[13] She would later revisit the film in her 2023 work The Black Guy Dies First, further noting the codependent relationship between John and the ghostly Arabella.[14]

In 2002, she was selected as one of ten artists to judge the American Film Institute's "Best Films Award".[15]

In 2003, Barnette directed her first feature film, an adaptation of Civil Brand, she told the Los Angeles Times it was inspired by the original screenplay by Preston A Whitmore II and by an urban women's prison tale. Even after her mother passed, she encouraged Barnette to continue pursuing the film. Once the movie was completed, it earned many awards and played film festivals like Sundance, the American Film Institute, and the American Black Film Festival in Miami where “Civil Brand” won the $15,000 Blockbuster audience award.[16][17][2]

Her most recent feature film is Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day (2012), her 11th movie and third for theatrical release.[18] The film is a thriller and family drama following the story of a marriage on the rocks,[19] which received an NAACP Image Award Nomination for Best Independent Feature in 2012.[20] Barnette directed two episodes of Being Mary Jane: "Hot Seat" and "Don't Call It A Comeback" (2015 - Season 3).[21][22] Barnette is the Executive Producer of Black History Mini Docs, 90 second videos featuring the stories of African-American heroes and she-roes, as well as daily tributes which are posted on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.[20]

In 2009 Barnette directed a gospel musical film, "Heaven Ain't Hard to Find," starring Kim Whitley, Cliff Powell and Reed McCants, where it previewed on platforms on HBO and BET.

In 2016, she joined the series, Queen Sugas as director and producer.[23]

Barnette won her first NAACP Image® Award for her directing efforts, like "One More Hurdle," an NBC dramatic special. Another documentary of hers titled "The Silent Crime," an NBC about domestic violence, received four local Emmy® nominations. Her successful debut resulted in subsequent directing stints on "Hooperman," "The Royal Family," "China Beach" (Peabody Award), "Frank's Place" (Emmy® Award), "The Sinbad Show," "Diagnosis Murder," "A Different World" and many episodes of "The Cosby Show."[24][25]

Neema Barnette is also part of the  DGA African American Steering Committee and a member of The Black Filmmakers Foundation since its inception. She is also an active AFI alumnus and takes part on the panel of the AFI Independent Film committee. She  has also played a part in being on the executive board of the IFP Gordon Parks Scholarship fund. She has been a judge for the NAACP Feature Film Award and serves as an annual judge for the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Personal

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Barnette owns her own production company called Harlem Girl Productions, whilst also owning a production company titled Reel Rebel Productions with her husband Reed McCants. Notably, she is also the executive director of a theatre and performance company for young artists titled Live Theatre Gang.[26] Barnette is also a part-time teacher, where she teaches aspiring students a directing course at UCLA and USC. She spends the other part of her time running a theatre company titled Live Theatre Gang with her husband and actor, Reed R. McCants.[27]

Filmography

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Films Directed

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Television Directed

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Produced

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  • King of Stage: The Woodie King Jr. Story (Documentary) (executive producer)
  • 2016 Queen Sugar (TV Series) (producer - 13 episodes)
  • 2012 Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day (producer)
  • 2008 Cuttin Da Mustard (executive producer) / (producer)
  • 2002 Civil Brand (producer) [44]
  • 1986 "To Be A Man", an ABC Television Children's Special, (producer)[7]

Awards

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She has won numerous awards, honors, and nominations, among them an Emmy Award for her afterschool special To Be a Man,[45] two NAACP Image Awards, and a Sundance Film Festival Award.[46]

[47]

  • The Silent Crime, an American Women in Radio & Television award for directing.
  • Barnette won an International Monitor Award for Best Director for The Cosby Show episode, 'The Day the Spores Landed.'
  • ZORA IS MY NAME (American Playhouse production starring Ruby Dee which won a Lilly Award for Exceptional Representation of African American Images in Film)
  • One More Hurdle,” an NBC dramatic special, won Neema her first NAACP Image® Award for her directing efforts.
  • While directing an episode for Cosby in which Mr. Cosby gets pregnant, “The Day The Spores Landed” (International Monitor® Award for Best Director)
  • The Delta Society awarded Neema their prestigious Lilly® Award for exceptional representation of African American images in film.
  • The Cosby Mysteries. “ For one episode she directed the show received a Peabody® and Emmy® Award.
YEAR AWARDS ORGANIZATION NOMINATED WORK RESULT
1983

(April)

Outstanding Children's Programming Award Emmy Award To Be A Man Winner
1993 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Shows - Daytime American Black Film Festival CBS Schoolbreak Special (1984)

For episode "Different Worlds: A Story of Interracial Love

Nominee

2002

(August)

Special Jury Prize

Audience Award

Urbanworld Film Festival Civil Brand Winner
2002

(June)

Blockbuster Audience Award The Black American Film Festival Civil Brand Winner
2003

(April)

Audience Award

Official Selection Filin

Roxbury Black Film Festival n.[29]

Philadelphia Film Festival

Civil Brand Winner
2003

(February)

Festival Award

Sojourner Truth Award

Pan-African Film Festival Civil Brand Winner
2006

(March)

Best Director - Television Black Reel Awards Miracle's Boys Winner
2017 Trailblazer Reel Sistas of the Diaspora

NY Women in Film

Herself Nominee

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Thomas, Kevin (August 29, 2003). "Civil Brand". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Scott, A. O. (October 10, 2003). "FILM REVIEW; Tough Women in the Pen Decide to Get Tougher". The New York Times. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  3. ^ Randle, Nancy (January 12, 1993). "Tackling issues Steinem's behind-the-scenes efforts give life to 'Better Off Dead'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 15, 2009. Barnette-the first black woman to direct a primetime sitcom[dead link]
  4. ^ Lundberg, Bengt (August 4, 2016). "Museologi som vetenskapligt fält". Nordisk Museologi (2): 39. doi:10.5617/nm.3563. ISSN 2002-0503.
  5. ^ O'Falt, Chris (September 14, 2016). "'Queen Sugar': Director Neema Barnette is Ava Duvernay's Secret Weapon In Shattering the Glass Ceiling". IndieWire. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Alex, G. Keith (January 7, 2022). "What's Hot! HarlemAmerica with G. Keith Alexander S2E01 – Neema Barnette". HarlemAmerica. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Rotten Tomatoes: Movies | TV Shows | Movie Trailers | Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  8. ^ "89 FOR 1989 : Meet Southern California's Rising Stars". Los Angeles Times. January 1, 1989.
  9. ^ Boyd, Herb; FRAZIER, with ALIYA; Diaz, Minerva (February 10, 2022). "Cliff Frazier, a man for all seasons and a life of purpose". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  10. ^ Gregory, Mollie (August 24, 2002). Women Who Run the Show: How a Brilliant and Creative New Generation of Women Stormed Hollywood. Macmillan. ISBN 9780312301828.
  11. ^ "A Different World : How Great Thou Art (1991) - Neema Barnette | Cast and Crew | AllMovie". Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  12. ^ McClain, Shonda (June 10, 1995). "'Spirit Lost' a low-down psychological thriller". Indianapolis Recorder. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2009. 'Spirit Lost' is the story of a 'brother' who is caught between two women, one of whom happens to be a ghost. Directed by Neema Barnette, [...]
  13. ^ Coleman, Robin R. Means (March 1, 2013). Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present. Routledge. pp. 182–183. ISBN 978-1-136-94293-8.
  14. ^ Coleman, Robin R. Means; Harris, Mark H. (February 7, 2023). The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar. Simon and Schuster. p. 172. ISBN 978-1-9821-8655-5.
  15. ^ Women in the Arts & Media Coalition
  16. ^ "A story that couldn't stay locked up". Los Angeles Times. August 25, 2003. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  17. ^ "A story that couldn't stay locked up". Los Angeles Times. August 25, 2003. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  18. ^ "Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. April 14, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  19. ^ Jason Buchanan (2015). "Woman-Thou-Art-Loosed-On-the-7th-Day - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  20. ^ a b "About BHMD". www.blackhistoryminidocs.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  21. ^ Neema. "Barnette". IMDb.
  22. ^ "Being Mary Jane Season 3". Season Episode.me. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  23. ^ Petski, Denise (February 15, 2016). "Neema Barnette Joins OWN Drama Series 'Queen Sugar' As Director & Producer". Deadline. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  24. ^ Knight, Jenny (January 5, 2000). "For the record". Nursing Standard. 14 (16): 20–22. doi:10.7748/ns.14.16.20.s39. ISSN 0029-6570. PMID 11209431.
  25. ^ "Neema Barnette Returns to Episodic Television". blackhistoryminidocs.com. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  26. ^ "Biography - Neema Barnette". Friday Moviez. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  27. ^ "Director Neema Barnette Talks Filming at the Schomburg Center and Her Trailblazing Career". The New York Public Library. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  28. ^ Gregory, Mollie (2002). Women Who Run the Show: How a Brilliant and Creative New Generation of Women Stormed. MacMillan. p. 423. ISBN 9780312316341. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  29. ^ a b "School of Theater, Film and Television". TFT UCLA EDU. UCLA. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  30. ^ Barnette, Neema (March 21, 2021). "Aretha: Until the Real Thing Comes Along". EUE / Sokolow, Fox 21 Television Studios, Imagine Television. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  31. ^ "Watch Genius: Aretha Season 3 Episode 2 Until the Real Thing Comes Along Online". National Geographic. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  32. ^ Barnette, Neema (March 22, 2021). "Aretha: Do Right Woman". EUE / Sokolow, Fox 21 Television Studios, Imagine Television. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  33. ^ Rose (Going Home), August 7, 2018, retrieved March 13, 2019
  34. ^ If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right, June 22, 2018, retrieved March 13, 2019
  35. ^ a b Clamorous Night, April 20, 2018, retrieved March 13, 2019
  36. ^ Gregory, Mollie (2002). Women Who Run the Show: How a Brilliant and Creative New Generation of Women Stormed. MacMillan. p. 423. ISBN 9780312316341. Retrieved December 13, 2015. [verification needed]
  37. ^ "School of Theater, Film and Television". TFT UCLA EDU. UCLA. Retrieved December 13, 2015. [verification needed]
  38. ^ The Fundamental Things Apply, October 21, 2003, retrieved March 13, 2019
  39. ^ Haiti and the Tramp, June 13, 2000, retrieved March 13, 2019
  40. ^ Rush to Judgment, January 19, 1998, retrieved March 13, 2019
  41. ^ The Trash Man, January 2, 1996, retrieved March 13, 2019
  42. ^ Together Again, April 12, 1989, retrieved March 13, 2019
  43. ^ "It's a Living (TV Series 1980–1989)", IMDb, retrieved March 13, 2019
  44. ^ "Neema Barnette". IMDb. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  45. ^ Chideya, Farai (October 19, 2007). "Honoring Black Female Filmmakers". NPR. National Public Radio. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  46. ^ "Sundance Institute". sundance.org. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  47. ^ "SERIES OF VIDEOS BY AND ABOUT BLACKS". The New York Times. July 26, 1985. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
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