Genre
Synopsis
BULBANCHA is the fourth film in a multi-part project, the Freytag Collection, dedicated to documenting the distinct cultures of Louisiana.
BULBANCHA tells the story of 19th century New Orleans composers Basile Barès and Edmond Dédé. Barès and Dédé were Creoles of Color – Dédé a free man, Barès born into enslavement.
Both wrote and performed operas and concert pieces popular with black and white audiences. Against the pressures of racial injustice they challenged the still wide-spread notion that classical European music has been an exclusively white domain.
Yet, since their lifetime, many of Bares’ and Dede’s compositions have not been performed for an audience, and some have never been presented to the public. A group of New Orleans musicians, spearheaded by the ensemble Opera Creole, are now sharing these composers’ music with the world. Another twist to the story of musicians that have been overlooked: All the known 19th century Creole composers were men. The musicians today bringing their works to light are all Women of Color.
Bio
SASCHA JUST is a New York-based filmmaker, born and raised in Berlin. She emigrated to the US to make films about music-related topics and the urban experience.
Her documentary ELLIS, the first feature-length film about New Orleans pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr., premiered at DOC NYC, is currently on the festival circuit in Europe and the US and scheduled for streaming release in 2024.
Parallel to the ELLIS festival tour Sascha directed the documentary FOOD TRUCK KINGS ASTORIA for the French-German network ArteTV (air date 01/27/24 & 03/07/24).
Sascha is currently developing a feature-length documentary, BULBANCHA IS A PLACE, about New Orleans’ hidden histories. She is in pre-production for the documentary SWAMPBIRDS about the impact of coastal erosion in Louisiana on Cajun culture for ArteTV (production May 2024).
Prior to ELLIS and FOOD TRUCK KINGS ASTORIA, Sascha produced and directed the short documentary BIG CHIEF about New Orleans Black Indian Chief Darryl Montanta's path to Mardi Gras, and the short documentary AMBASSADORS.
Sascha’s films screened among other at DOC NYC, the St. Louis In. Film Festival, Krakow Int. Film Festival, See the Sound, the AmDocs, RiverRun, USA Film Festival.
Sascha holds a BA in Film and an MA/PhD in Performance, Theater and Film Studies from the City University of New York (CUNY). She teaches in the Communications Department of Baruch College, CUNY.
Credits
Archival Producer - Rosemary Rotondy
Animation - Conor O'Boyle
