“On the Shoulders of Giants” may very well be the quintessential Newark Black Film Festival movie. Mixing music, history, sports and the artistry of filmmaking, this documentary pulls together elements that make the Newark Black Film Festival unique.
“We try to look at sisters behind the camera, brothers behind the camera, diaspora, historical,” said Pat Faison, marketing associate and Newark Black Film Festival coordinator, explaining the importance of combining history, art and entertainment. “A lot of our children don’t know about that era so it’s always good to bring that historic factor back into the festival so we can teach our children because they don’t learn all this stuff in school.”
The documentary takes on the task of telling the tale of the Harlem Renaissance Five, or theHarlem Rens as they came to be known, the first all-black professional basketball team.
The film opens with an animated argument by a group of former basketball players and coaches debating what the best team in history was. They name everyone from the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls and the 1985-86 Boston Celtics to the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers. However, the debate ends when legendary cager Kareem Abdul Jabbar interrupts, “I want to tell you about the best team you’ve never heard of.”
The voice of rapper Chuck D. blasts in over another kind of animation. This time, still black-and-white photographs are put in motion and made to compete against modern day players over the backdrop of Harlem. That energy infuses the entire motion picture.
Over the course of the brisk 75-minute film, director Deborah Morales and host Jabbar guide the viewer through the violence and segregation African Americans faced in the early part of the last century up to the time of the Harlem Renaissance.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Harlem hosted a population boom of middle-class African Americans. With this demographic shift came a flourishing of art, music, poetry and writing.
That period also brought about African-American entrepreneurs like Bob Douglass. Douglass put together the first all-black basketball team, which played at the Harlem Renaissance Casino & Ballroom (all games ended by 11 p.m. at which point the basketball court was converted back to a dance floor). “On the Shoulder of Giants” tracks the story of the Harlem Rens as they gained popularity and respect among the African Americans across the country, even going as far as taking up a friendly rivalry with the best team at that time, the Boston Celtics.
“On the Shoulders of Giants” integrates the spirit of a bygone age with its jazzy soundtrack and vibrant artwork. Energy pops through every frame as the filmmakers clearly had an eye on catching the attention of school-aged and adult audiences alike.
The Newark Black Film Festival will continue next week with “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.” The film will screen July 27 at the Newark Museum at 7 p.m.