Film Description

A true twentieth century Renaissance man, Gordon Parks is on of the most prolific and diverse artists in America today. A preeminent photographer, poet, novelist, composer and filmmaker, Park's artistic vision knows no boundaries. His career in photography spans from the eloquent social commentary of his early classic photo American Gothic, to the high fashion photography of his days in Paris for Vogue magazine. Parks' powerful chronicle of the Civil Rights movement covered the pages of Life magazine for two decades; and his intimate portraits of celebrities like Ingrid Bergman brought him new levels of fame and distinction. As a filmmaker he was the first black man to direct a major Hollywood production with the poignant memoir of his youth, The Learning Tree. He paved the way for a new generation of film directors with his hip and provocative black hero, Shaft, which continues to be a pop culture classic. Narrated by Alfre Woodard, Half Past Autumn is vividly illustrated by Parks' own masterful photographs as well as Parks the man , revealing himself and the personal sacrifices he made for his art. This candid portrait of the artist if a journey through the watershed moments in America's social history, punctuated by Parks' seminal works and his unique ability to follow his instincts to the most fascinating and challenging places in the world.