Charlatan, Baby, Charlatan

Dear Friends, Family and Followers,

You may have noticed that I took a two-week absence from The Screening Room.

As a new arts reporter/critic for the Charlatan, Carleton's weekly newspaper, I have been receiving assignments from my editor, Larissa. This past week, she sent me out for my first assignment that was not a film review.

The article is regarding the release of a new documentary titled Good Hair that is premiering in Ottawa tomorrow. I saw an advance screening on Monday and contacted several of the participants on the interview panel (mentioned at the end of the article) as well.

My article was featured in this week's Charlatan, reaching news-stands across Carleton University this afternoon.

I have decided to post the article for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy it!

By the way, I will be back with a review tomorrow for a film I saw this evening that was simply... "fantastic."

Weaving through the world of hair

By Jordan Adler

There's a hair-raising film coming to Ottawa this week.

It features an issue so widely discussed, so socially relevant and so fascinating, it won the Special Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

It is a documentary about hair.

Good Hair, opening Nov. 27, is a deeply funny and insightful documentary, which examines the love-hate relationship that African-Americans have with their hair.

Funny-man Chris Rock serves as the film's star and narrator.

When his little daughter asks him, "Daddy, why don't I have good hair?" the comedian sets out to bring common sense to a prevalent beauty issue.

In black communities, straight hair is considered to be "good," while natural (or "nappy") hair is frowned upon, as the film explains.

In Good Hair, Rock discovers that the chemical relaxers used to straighten black hair are made of sodium hydroxide.

This dangerous chemical could leave permanent bald spots once it seeps into the scalp.

Furthermore, he inquires into why many African-American women empty their wallets for a straight-hair weave, which can cost more than $1,000 for a full head.

Many of these weaves are cut off from Indian women in religious ceremonies. Rock discovers that removing one's hair in India is an act of self-sacrifice.

The film also explains that while African-Americans make up to 20% of the United States' population, they purchase 80% of all hair products.

To gain perspective on this "hairy" issue, Rock interviewed many African-American celebrities: from Disney star Raven-Symone Pearman to poet and author Maya Angelou, among others.

While the documentary primarily focuses on the relationship between African-Americans and their hair, dissatisfaction with appearance is a widespread issue that faces all societies.

For the film's premiere Nov. 27, five esteemed members of Ottawa's black community will participate in a panel discussion at the Bytowne Cinema.

The participants will use Good Hair as the root of their discussion on the social, political and aesthetic issues surrounding black hair. The panel will be hosted by CBC personality Adrian Harewood.

Among the panel participants is Dr. Amina Mire, a sociology professor at Carleton.

The discussion will take place immediately after the premiere screening that evening.