Killer of Sheep. 1977. Written and directed by Charles Burnett Nothing but a Man. 1964. Directed by Michael Roemer

Film

No upcoming events

Nothing But a Man.1964. USA. Directed by Michael Roemer. Courtesy of The Film Desk

Both Charles Burnett’s Killer of Sheep and Michael Roemer’s Nothing but a Man depict working-class Black life. To Arthur Jafa’s eye, each film captures a certain kind of “truth of a highly specific lived Black experience” particular to life in south Los Angeles and rural Alabama, respectively. When paired, the idiosyncrasies of the films’ urban and rural environments are brought into relief. The films give extended attention to quotidian events that take place in domestic spaces, which for Jafa becomes one key to the feeling of realism produced in both titles.

Films will be screened with a ten-minute break in between.

Showtimes:

Nov 23
Killer of Sheep: 2:30, Nothing but a Man: 4:05

Nov 26
Killer of Sheep: 6:00, Nothing but a Man: 7:35

Killer of Sheep. 1977. USA. Written and directed by Charles Burnett. With Henry G. Sanders, Kaycee Moore, Charles Bracy, Angela Burnett, Eugene Cherry, Jack Drummond. DCP. 83 min.

Nothing but a Man. 1964. USA. Directed by Michael Roemer. Screenplay by Roemer, Robert M. Young. With Ivan Dixon, Abbey Lincoln. 35mm. 95 min.

This film accompanies Carte Blanche: Arthur Jafa.

Past events

Wed, Nov 26, 2025, 6:00 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T2, Theater 2

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2
Sun, Nov 23, 2025, 2:30 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T2, Theater 2

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2

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