Losing Ground (Kathleen Collins, 1982)

“At the time of her death from cancer in 1988, Kathleen Collins was just 46 years old, but she was already an internationally renowned playwright, a popular professor (at New York’s City College) and a successful independent filmmaker.

Her second film, Losing Ground tells the story of a marriage of two remarkable people, both at a crossroads in their lives. Sara Rogers, a black professor of philosophy, is embarking on an intellectual quest to understand “ecstasy” just as her painter husband Victor sets off on a more earthy exploration of joy… While dealing with strong individuals and feelings, the film is also charming–Collins described it as a comedy about a young woman who takes herself too seriously… One of the very first fictional features by an African-American woman, Losing Ground remains a stunning and powerful work of art.”

https://www.milestonefilms.com/collections/art-artists/products/losing-ground

Keywords: african-american, female, independent film