Classic Black Cinema Series: Zouzou

Zouzou is a French film by Marc Allégret released in 1934. Josephine Baker, who plays the title character, was the first black woman to play the leading role in a major motion picture.

Zouzou (Josephine Baker) and Jean (Jean Gabin) were children adopted by Papa Melé (Pierre Larquey) and grew up as performers in the circus that he ran. As adults, Jean works as an electrician and Zouzou, who is in love with Jean, works at a laundry. When Jean is accused of murder, Zouzou becomes a star in a musical show to earn enough money to help clear his name.

Specifically designed as a vehicle to expose the community to the vast artistic value black film has had throughout the years, the goal of the film series is to appeal to as diverse a population as possible and further the appreciation of Black cinema.

Curator and host, Felix Curtis, came to Charlotte from the Oakland/San Francisco Bay area where he curated The San Francisco Black Film Festival and Black Filmworks, the annual film festival component of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, where he later served as Executive Director.