By Shante Morgan Durisseau, Special to The Star
"This is my contribution to the future," said Jean-Claude LaMarre, writer-director-star of the controversial new film "Color of the Cross," the first feature film depicting Jesus Christ as a black man. That's what LaMarre told the audience attending a Sunday screening of the film at St. Paul Baptist Church in Oxnard. Black people, he said, can no longer accept the commonly used image of Christ with blond hair and blue eyes.
"I hope to impress upon young black children throughout the world that they are created in the image of Christ," he added.
The film tells a traditional story, largely based on the Gospels. It focuses on the last 48 hours of Jesus' life but examines the role race may have played in the persecution, capture and crucifixion of Jesus.
LaMarre, who plays Jesus, says while the Bible does not directly speak of race as a reason for Jesus' persecution, it could have been a factor. The movie does question the relevance of race. In one scene, Jesus' mother Mary, who is played by award-winning actress Debbi Morgan, asks, "Do you think they are doing this because he is black?"
Joseph, her husband and earthly father of Jesus, replies, "No. They are doing this because he is the Messiah."
The movie was received with mixed emotions from the mostly black audience that attended the screening on both Saturday and Sunday at the church. The audience commended LaMarre's courage in making the film but questioned some of his dramatic interpretations and license.
"Overall, I believe the movie was very informative," said the Rev. Willie Mack Gray, pastor of the Second Missionary Baptist Church in Simi Valley. "History has not recorded our (blacks') story accurately."
He said historically Jesus would not have looked like the image commonly used and adds there are several references to blacks - people of African heritage - in the Bible.
Gwendolyn Hampton, co-founder of the Santa Barbara African Heritage Film Series, applauded LaMarre for making the film. "It's a wonderful film," she said.
Del Ellis, a mother of three from Erie, Pa., who attended the screening, said she had mixed feelings because several important parts of the Gospel were left out of the film, including the miracles Jesus performed and the resurrection. She was troubled by the portrayal of Jesus as a human, struggling with the prospect of dying on the cross.
During a question-and-answer session after the movie, LaMarre explained he intentionally portrayed Jesus as a human, who, like any human being, felt fear and remorse. He said because of budget and time, the filmmaker had to leave some relevant details in the Gospel out of the movie.
He also said to expect a sequel that will include Jesus' resurrection.
The screenings were sponsored by the Ventura County Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., a national public service organization.
The chapter has been active in Ventura County for more than 20 years, providing scholarships and mentorship to youth, sponsoring programs to increase breast cancer awareness and voter registration drives.
"We brought the film to Ventura County because it's important to us to educate and bring cultural awareness to our community," said Debra Bagley, president of the Ventura chapter. She said the chapter was further compelled by the refusal of a local movie theatre to allow the organization to screen the movie at its venue.
The chapter plans to follow the movie screening with the one-man play, "Paul Robeson," starring Lou Beatty Jr., on Jan. 20 and 21.
For more information about the coming play, visit
http://www.dstvcac.org.