Alma’s Rainbow
Ayoka Chenzira’s feature film explores the life of teenager Rainbow Gold (Victoria Gabrielle Platt), who is entering womanhood and navigating standards of beauty, self-image, and the rights Black women have over their bodies. She lives with her straitlaced mother, Alma (Kim Weston-Moran), who runs a hair salon in their home. When Alma’s free-spirited sister Ruby (Mizan Kirby) arrives from Paris after a 10-year absence, the sisters clash over the direction of Rainbow’s life. Alma’s Rainbow highlights a multi-layered Black women’s world where the characters live, love, and wrestle with choices in life.
Preceded by Hair Piece: A Film for Nappyheaded People
Directed by Ayoka Chenzira
(USA, 1984, 10 min.)
This musical satire addresses the politically charged subject of African American hair.
The MFAH film department is supported by Tenaris; the Vaughn Foundation; The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea; Nina and Michael Zilkha; Consulate General of Italy in Houston; Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles; Consulate General of Brazil in Houston; Franci Neely; Carrin Patman and Jim Derrick; Ms. Laurence Unger; L’Alliance Française de Houston; and ILEX Foundation.
Restoration by the Academy Film Archive, Film Foundation, and Milestone Films. Restoration supervised by Mark Toscano. Funding provided by The Film Foundation and Hobson Lucas Family Foundation. Lab: Roundabout Entertainment and Audio Mechanics. With thanks to Vincent Pirozzi.
Alma’s Rainbow
Directed by Ayoka Chenzira
(USA, 1994, 85 minutes, in English)
Lynn Wyatt Theater