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Synopsis “Last Chair” is a heartwarming family drama surrounding black freshman Jeannie Spencer, a new student at predominately white Creston High School. The film centers on her conflict with her band instructor who attempts to make Jeannie to go on a band trip where she would be forced to stay in a segregated hotel – away from the rest of the all-white band members. In her attempts to not to go on the trip, she incites a fight that is much bigger than herself, and causes her mother to make her an unwilling martyr for her “cause.” In the midst of the uproar Jeannie bonds with Becky, her first white friend, and forms an unlikely friendship that will eventually change the way that Creston looks at race relations. It is Jeannie's Mother, Kathy, who teaches Jeannie that activism, action, principals and faith are responsible ways to address prejudice.
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10/22/03- The Directors Guild of America recently named Leona Whitney Beatty as a West Coast winner of their annual student film awards. Beatty’s film “Last Chair” centers around Jeannie, a young black girl who learns to stand up for herself when she is forced to attend an all-white Midwest high school in the late sixties and face the challenge of integrating herself into the unwelcoming environment.
Each year the Directors Guild of America announces the winners of its annual Student Film Awards for African-American, Asian-American, Latino and women filmmakers. The awards, which bring prizes from the DGA along with product grants provided by Kodak's Worldwide Student Film Program to the winner in each group, are designed to honor, encourage and bring attention to outstanding minority and women film students in film schools and other select universities. The Award will be handed out November 11th at 7:30 pm at the DGA on Sunset.
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03/25/03- About The Project
Last Chair is a 30-minute independent 16mm sync sound film based on the racial climate which existed at Creston High School in Grand Rapids. MI when it was being slowly integrated during the 1960’s. The film was shot in Creston High School and in other locations in the Grand Rapids area over 7 days in October 2002. The shoot used approximately 30 Michigan actors as cast, as well as a crew of graduate students from Loyola Marymount University.
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05/20/03 -
Director’s Statement
The goal of this project was to show a perspective of the 1960’s that is known in the minority community but that is not normally shown in film--the integration of a midwestern school. The integration of Grand Rapids schools was accomplished without screaming protesters outside of the buildings; however, the students still faced some very difficult adjustments – especially the students that did not want to “integrate” in the first place. It was my intent to attempt to bring these struggles to light in a family short that would raise awareness of another view of the time period.
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