Dir. Jamaa Fanaka
1976, USA, 100 min
Rated R
Emma Mae, Jamaa Fanaka’s (Penitentiary) second feature, tells the story of a naive young woman who moves from the Deep South to Watts. Initially finding herself at odds with her surroundings, Emma eventually gains acceptance from a local drug addict and dealer. But when he’s arrested and jailed, she plans a daring bank robbery to bail him out. Featuring a cast of mostly non-professionals and shot entirely on location in Watts, this uniquely subversive action film is an insider’s view of Black neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Restoration courtesy the Gordon Trust.
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“It is as if Emma Mae can tap directly into a wellspring of Black women’s latent powers in order to protect and serve her own.” — Jacqueline Stewart, UCLA Film & TV Archive
