Utilizing archival news footage, personal accounts, and a rich jazz score, PASSIN' IT ON "presents the experiences of this turbulent and meaningful time through the eyes and voices of those who lived it," says director John Valadez. Candid testimony from trial attorneys to the then-Deputy Police Commissioner of New York City, and from members of the jury and former Panther colleagues to Dhoruba himself serve to illustrate African American urban life during the late 1960's, a time when many sought rapid and widespread change in the power structures that shaped their communities. The Black Panther Party emerged as a highly visible part of this movement. PASSIN' IT ON goes beyond political stereotypes to offer a personal history of one individual's ordeal, and in doing so contributes to an important but often overlooked chapter in American and African American history.
Even now, Dhoruba faces the possibility that his freedom might be cut short as the state of New York considers yet another trial. While rich in historical and socio-political importance, Dhoruba's case is not so distant from today's headlines. "At a time when racial conflicts have been prominent in the news, PASSIN' IT ON offers a reflection on where we've been as a society and where we're going," says producer Peter Miller, coordinating producer of the Academy Award-winning American Dream.
PASSIN' IT ON has been featured at numerous festival and museum screenings including the U.S. Film and Video Festival where it was awarded the Grand Prize and the recent Philadelphia International Film Festival, where it won the Gold Award for Best Short Documentary.
ITVS Independent Television Service