Movie Mondays- “I Am Not Your Negro” at Harris Theater

Once, this theater on Liberty Avenue was known as the Art Cinema. Now, Pittsburgh knows it as the Harris Theater, one of the many facilities run by Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. For a while, it seemed that this theater was destined for ruin. Despite being “the first moving picture house in Pittsburgh to commercially show art movies,” according to its page on the PCT website, rival theaters meant fewer costumers and eventually, the Art Cinema began to host more adult-oriented films. However, in 1995, the building was reborn as the Harris Theater and began life anew. It hosts films both modern and classic, domestic and foreign.

This week, I Am Not Your Negro is showing. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, this documentary travels through African-American history from the Confederacy to modern protests. It is based on the unfinished book Remember This House by James Baldwin. Awarded Best Documentary at the 52nd Chicago International Film Festival, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, and many more, I Am Not Your Negro has been lauded by critics. It is also nominated for the Oscar in Best Documentary (the film completed its qualifying run in December). It’s directed by Raoul Peck and has not been rated by the MPAA.

Schedule, with show times, can be viewed here.  Tickets are available at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust box office.