A woman in a Hollywood dubbing studio struggles with race and preconceptions. The short film depicts the life of an African American woman passing as a white woman working in the film industry during the 1940s. It calls attention to the lack of African Americans in the film industry during that era.
Direction
Dash's control of silence speaks louder than dialogue.
Acting
McKee's eyes do the heavy lifting — devastating restraint.
Cinematography
Monochrome Hollywood glamour concealing systemic rot.
Director
Julie Dash
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Julie Dash made this as her UCLA thesis film; it took four years to complete on a shoestring budget.
Dash later said she modeled Mignon partly on Lena Horne and her own mother's experiences in segregated Hollywood.
US
