I interview Isabelle Armand about her documentary GLENDORA, ahead of its premiere at the Dances With Films: NY festival on January 16.

The documentary, about a rural Mississippi town's struggle to redefine and strengthen its cultural history, is lovingly photographed by Armand, who sees the documentary as an exercise in collective memory, a way to archive generational history in a matter the town hadn't before gathered.

Armand's previous project, a photobook titled LEVON AND KENNEDY, documented the process of exonerating two Black men wrongly convicted of murder, forced to spend a collective 30+ years in prison. The documentary further examines the systemic issues with impoverished communities, primarily populated by African Americans.

However, watching the movie and talking with Armand, I don't get the sense this is doom-and-gloom. The movie, much like Armand herself, bubbles with joy and humor. It celebrates the ingenuity and love these people utilize for their home, shining a light on the talents that lie in places most would overlook.

GLENDORA will premiere at the Dances With Films: NY festival on January 16.

More information can be found here.---

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