Daughters of the Dust tells the story of the Peazant family, a multigenerational and matriarchal group of women on the precipice of a life-changing decision. They are Gullah people, whose ancestors were brought as enslaved people to islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina and, in the isolation of the large island plantations and over hundreds of years, blended their languages and traditions to create a unique and enduring culture of their own. Set in 1902, the film shows the family as they each decide for themselves whether to stay on their island and practice the old ways or migrate to the mainland and embrace a more “modern” way of life.

Guests are invited to stay after the screening for a discussion with University of Tampa film professor Taylor Raye Curry and others to explore some of the themes presented in Daughters of the Dust and consider its impact on Black cinema.