EMANCIPATE THE IMAGE: Revisiting the Cinematic Ark of BEN CALDWELL
About this Event
Emancipate the Image: Revisiting the Cinematic Ark of Filmmaker Ben Caldwell - Screening & Q&A
Part of PRS's YesterdayLA 2026, our monthlong celebration of our beloved city's rich and diverse past.
As part of our YesterdayLA series, 7th House Screenings is proud to welcome pioneering filmmaker, transmedia artist, activist, and community builder Ben Caldwell for a very special evening celebrating more than fifty years of visionary independent filmmaking in Los Angeles.
A key figure in UCLA's L.A. Rebellion movement of independent Black auteurs, Caldwell has spent more than five decades forging a singular body of work through his stewardship of KAOS Network—Leimert Park's enduring community arts center and a vibrant creative space supporting Black artists across disciplines in creating on their own terms.
The evening begins with Caldwell's blistering early short Medea (1973), combining throbbingly rhythmic collage editing and striking photography in a bold expression of Caldwell's already singular cinematic voice, followed by his visionary landmark work I & I: An African Allegory (1979). Rarely screened, I & I is a singular work rooted in African spirituality, lyric traditions, and African American music, reflecting Caldwell's pursuit of a cinematic language untethered from the rhythms and conventions of Western storytelling. Mystical and hauntingly lyrical, Caldwell's masterpiece was described by experimental filmmaker Arthur Jafa, whose cinematography credits include Crooklyn and Daughters of the Dust, as "fully realized jazz cinema."
Following the screenings, Caldwell will join author, filmmaker, and longtime collaborator Robeson Taj Frazier for a conversation on independent filmmaking, community stewardship, and the artistic philosophy that has shaped more than five decades of visionary work. The discussion will also feature excerpts from additional works across Caldwell's career, including I Fresh (1987/88) and Sankofa City (2018), before concluding with a signing of their acclaimed coauthored book, KAOS Theory: The Afrokosmic Ark of Ben Caldwell (2023).
MEDEA
Dir. Ben Caldwell, 1973, 7 mins, United States, English, Digital.
I&I: AN AFRICAN ALLEGORY
Dir. Ben Caldwell, 1979, 32 mins, United States, English, Digital.
Ben Caldwell is an arts educator, independent filmmaker, and founder of KAOS Network, a multimedia arts/tech accelerator center located in Leimert Park, a historic and cultural hub of Los Angeles. A native of New Mexico, Caldwell earned an MFA in film and television at UCLA, taught at Howard University and California Institute of the Arts, and is a senior fellow in the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Innovation Lab. Caldwell’s work has been shown nationally and internationally, including at the Tate Modern, Festival des 3 Continents, and the Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival.
Robeson Taj Frazier is a writer, professor, arts and humanities curator, and producer of docuseries and documentary film. He is the host/producer of two PBS productions (the award-winning Hip Hop and the Metaverse and Outside the Lyrics), and the author of several books, which include the award-winning New Yorker magazine favorite, KAOS Theory: The Afrokosmic Ark of Ben Caldwell (2023).
ABOUT YesterdayLA
This July, the Philosophical Research Society celebrates our beloved city’s rich and diverse past with YesterdayLA, a month-long exploration of unique stories and works of art that have become part of the fabric of Los Angeles history. The landscape of our city is changing faster than ever before. By examining the LA of yesterday, we invite Angelenos to gather together to not only look back but forward to the possibilities of our great city’s tomorrow.
Throughout its 90+ year history The Philosophical Research Society has stood as a sanctuary for those seeking truth and enlightenment, with its doors open to Angelenos who have created great works of art and innovation, political movements, and spiritual evolutions across the eras. YesterdayLA will explore the fascinating stories of our city’s past with the continued spirit of curiosity that has stood as the pillar of PRS’s mission.
TICKETS: $10 (In Person Event Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
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Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 12.51
