Ep. 25 - BELLE by Request

Dec 27

Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Amma Asante’s *Belle*

It’s some history that most people don’t know, which is when I think movies are particularly great.
Joanne Fort, Atlanta, GA
It was rare for me to see Black women in historical portraits just depicted as…[an] ordinary day-to-day woman…with another white woman. Just living, just existing not as an auxiliary character in the background, but actually having her own autonomy in the painting.
Glory Samjolly, Figurative Painter, London, UK

In episode 25 The Boston Sisters feature Amma Asante’s film BELLE by listener request from Joanne Fort, an attorney living in Atlanta, Georgia. Joanne shares why she wanted the podcast to feature BELLE.

This request gave the podcast an opportunity to have a conversation with London-based figurative painter Glory Samjolly, about the film and the story behind the portrait of the real-life Dido Elizabeth Belle (seen with her cousin Elizabeth). As founder of the social media platform Black Aristocrat Art, Glory brings her insights on depictions of Black women and men of the aristocracy in historical European art.

Listen - Episode 25

Guest: GLORY SAMJOLLY

Glory Samjolly is a figurative painter based in London and founder of "Black Aristocrat Art" platform. Painting is the bridge that transforms her thoughts into visuality. Art history is a critical subject for Glory, because not long ago she realised that ethnic minorities in Britain find themselves out of place in the spaces of historical European art.
Read more about Glory Samjolly in this *New York Times* article (published April 20, 2022)
Connect with Glory Samjolly and Black Aristocrat Art: Artist website | facebook | Black Aristocrat Art on Instagram | Black Aristocrat Art on facebook

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BELLE

Directed by Amma Asante, BELLE is based on the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a mixed-race daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode) and an enslaved African woman who is raised by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson) in 18th century England. Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, yet her status prevents her from receiving the benefits of noble social standing.

Note: BELLE’s theatrical release in the UK was in 2013, and in the U.S. in 2014.