Dallas, 2019

“I am a citizen of a country that does not yet exist.” —Dr. Vincent Harding

This new five-part documentary series by filmmaker and BAMcinemaFest alumnus Darius Clark Monroe (Evolution of a Criminal) captures the pulse of a city within a state and a country in crisis. Filmed in pre-pandemic Dallas, the series follows the lives of public representatives and their varied constituents as they confront the challenges of natural and human-caused disasters, the school system, the legal system, cycles of incarceration, and community organizing. These stories of individuals and of the collective reveal how citizens are socialized, how communities are formed, and how a city endeavors to become fairer and more effective.

Join us for a Q&A with director Darius Clark Monroe and filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist Ja’Tovia Gary following the screening.

A note from the director: 

Twenty years ago, I moved from Houston to New York to study the craft of cinema. From living in an attic apartment in St. Albans, Queens, to Prospect Lefferts Gardens, onto Stuyvesant Town, and finally BedStuy (where I resided for 17 years), New York City not only raised me, but molded me into the artist I am today. As a place that has given so much to me, it is an honor to return to this dynamic city with a gift, an offering, a soul work in the form of my new project.

Although Brooklyn is certainly not Dallas, the themes, people, and stories centered in this film are a direct reflection of the challenges faced across all American cities. As we move into this new year, community conversations are more important now than ever before. Dallas, 2019 was created by the public for the public.

Many thanks to Gina Duncan and Jesse Trussell for giving us the opportunity to theatrically showcase this series. I also want to thank our incredibly gifted moderator (and fellow Texan and Brooklynite), brilliant artist/filmmaker Ja’Tovia Gary.

Please join us in a community conversation about the future of our country. I look forward to seeing you there.