The Edge of Each Other's Battles: The Vision of Audre Lorde

A film by Jennifer Abod

US | 2002 | 59 minutes | Color | DVD | English | Order No. 04833

This powerful documentary is a moving tribute to legendary black lesbian feminist poet Audre Lorde, One of the most celebrated icons of feminism's second wave.

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SYNOPSIS

This powerful documentary is a moving tribute to legendary black lesbian feminist poet Audre Lorde (1934-1992). One of the most celebrated icons of feminism's second wave, Lorde inspired several generations of activists with her riveting poetry, serving as a catalyst for change and uniting the communities of which she was a part: black arts and black liberation, women's liberation and lesbian and gay liberation. Nowhere was this more apparent than the groundbreaking I AM YOUR SISTER CONFERENCE which brought together 1200 activists from 23 countries, including thrilling footage of the inimitable Lorde herself, and candid interviews with conference organizers. THE EDGE OF EACH OTHER'S BATTLES powerfully brings Lorde's legacy of poetry and politics to life and conveys the spirit, passion and intensity that remains her trademark.

PRESS

"Extraordinary...embodies Lorde's words on anger and difference - how these can unite, not divide, when faced squarely and expressed honestly."

M. Charlene Ball, Ph.D. Academic Professional, Women's Studies Institute, Georgia State University

"The depth of discussion is intensely satisfying.. The footage of Lorde in Abod's film is superb..."

Feminist Collections

"Recommended for all women's studies and gay-lesbian studies collections in academic libraries."

Library Journal

"Splendid...Abod's imaginative weave of Audre's poetry, commitment to justice and community, and passion for life should be presented in every history, literature, GLBT, and Women's Studies classroom."

Blanche Wiesen Cook, historian, and Claire Cook, playwright

"Captures the essence of Lorde's political vision and also a crucial moment in lesbian feminist history..."

Pat Cramer English and Women's Studies, University of Connecticut

"A valuable addition to the growing body of work on Audre Lorde. It is a testament to her life and work as writer, cultural worker, and inspiration to many. For the women (and men) organizing, gathering, speaking, and singing in praise of Audre Lorde documented in this film, poetry indeed is not luxury but necessary bread. I will be using this film in my courses in poetry, African American, and women's studies."

Fahamisha Patricia Brown Associate Professor of English, College of Staten Island, CUNY

"The Edge of Each Other's Battles captures the passion and energy of intellect in action. Even beyond the grave, Audre Lorde inspires diverse audiences to explore their convictions and continue the honest dialogue that is essential among us."

Fawn Groves Utah State University

“A must for women’s studies, gay-lesbian studies, and political collections in an academic library.”

Susanne Boatright Educational Media Reviews Online

"The film balances a celebratory narrative of the conference with an honest portrayal of the difficulty of negotiating race and class privilege in women-of-color feminist settings."

Signs Journal of Women in Culture & Society

SCREENING HIGHLIGHTS AND AWARDS

Black International Cinema, Berlin, Best Doc.

Women in the Director's Chair, Chicago
San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO)
IMMAGINARIA International Lesbian Film Festival
New York, LA, Toronto, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Austin, Utah, and Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Festivals
The Black Women's Arts Festival in Philadelphia
Africa in the Picture, Amsterdam

ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)

Jennifer Abod

With a Ph.D. in Intercultural Media Education and Women’s Studies, Jennifer Abod is an award-winning documentarian in both audio and video, who was part of the dawning of the second wave of feminism in the U.S.

Her videos include: The Passionate Pursuits of Angela Bowen, The Edge of Each Other’s Battles: The Vision Of Audre Lorde, Look us in the Eye: The Old Women’s Project, and, most recently, Nice Chinese Girls Don't: Kitty Tsui, which had its world premiere at Cinema Systers in May 2018 and won an audience award for best short.

Abod was a radio broadcaster for 19 years. She hosted and produced news, features, live talk shows, documentaries and specials programming on public and commercial radio in Connecticut, Philadelphia and Boston. She was the first woman in Connecticut to host a nightly AM radio talk show, "The Jennifer Abod Show."

As a media specialist at Digital Equipment Corporation, she produced, directed and wrote both audio and video projects.

In the 1970s, Abod was a singer/songwriter with the New Haven Women’s Liberation Rock Band (Papa Don’t Lay that Shit on Me), and co-writer and actor in "The Liberation of Lydia" the first feminist radio soap opera.

In 1988, she created Profile Productions to produce and distribute audio and video projects featuring feminist and lesbian activists, cultural workers, particularly women of color.

Her radio documentary, "Audre Lorde: Radio Profile." was featured on WGBH, FM, Boston as well as several award winning interactive call-in radio shows.

Dr. Abod taught at U. Mass Boston, Worcester State, Hofstra University, and Cal State Long Beach. (03/19)

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