Influential filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles dies aged 89
Melvin Van Peebles, the pioneering director behind Watermelon Man and Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, has died. He was 89.
The father of actor and director Mario Van Peebles, it was revealed that Melvin died on Tuesday (21 September) at his home in Manhattan.
His family announced the death in a statement alongside The Criterion Collection and Janus Films.
Criterion said on behalf of his family: “We are saddened to announce the passing of a giant of American cinema, Melvin Van Peebles, who died last night, at home with family, at the age of 89. In an unparalleled career, Van Peebles made an indelible mark on the international cultural landscape. He will be deeply missed.”
The statement continued: “In an unparalleled career distinguished by relentless innovation, boundless curiosity and spiritual empathy, Melvin Van Peebles made an indelible mark on the international cultural landscape through his films, novels, plays and music.
“His work continues to be essential and is being celebrated at the New York Film Festival this weekend with a 50th anniversary screening of his landmark film Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song; a Criterion Collection box set, Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films, next week; and a revival of his play Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death, slated for a return to Broadway next year.”
His son Mario added: “Dad knew that Black images matter. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what was a movie worth?
“We want to be the success we see, thus we need to see ourselves being free. True liberation did not mean imitating the coloniser’s mentality. It meant appreciating the power, beauty and interconnectivity of all people.”
Here’s the full text of our announcement on the passing of Melvin Van Peebles: pic.twitter.com/n0svUACrKP
— Criterion Collection (@Criterion) September 22, 2021
We are saddened to announce the passing of a giant of American cinema, Melvin Van Peebles, who died last night, at home with family, at the age of 89. In an unparalleled career, Van Peebles made an indelible mark on the international cultural landscape. He will be deeply missed. pic.twitter.com/HpciXXVoYo
— Criterion Collection (@Criterion) September 22, 2021
Known as “The Godfather of Black cinema”, Peebles also wrote several books, plays and recorded several albums.
Melvin was best known for Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song!, one of the most influential movies of its time.
Tributes have poured in for Melvin on social media. Filmmaker Ava Du Verney shared a quote remembering him: “You have to not let yourself believe you can’t. Do what you can do within the framework you have. And don’t look outside. Look inside.” She added: “the iconic artist, filmmaker, actor, playwright, novelist, composer and sage Melvin Van Peebles, who has gone home at the age of 89.”
One Twitter user described him as “a genius auteur who sparked a revolution in Seventies Black cinema” while another added: “The blueprint and inspiration for multiple generations of filmmakers. A whole legend.”
You can see some of the tributes here:
“You have to not let yourself believe you can’t. Do what you can do within the framework you have. And don’t look outside. Look inside.”
― the iconic artist, filmmaker, actor, playwright, novelist, composer and sage Melvin Van Peebles, who has gone home at the age of 89. pic.twitter.com/36BQKzN9G7— Ava DuVernay (@ava) September 22, 2021
RIP Melvin Van Peebles, a genius auteur who sparked a revolution in '70s Black cinema, w/out whom the films of Tarantino and Spike Lee would be irrevocably different, who introduced Earth Wind & Fire to the world, and possessed unimpeachable integrity & futuristic searing vision. pic.twitter.com/53ZlISRfOz
— Otto Von Biz Markie (@Passionweiss) September 22, 2021
We’ve lost another lion, the true revolutionary, an artistic gangsta, cultural disrupter who forever changed the game Rest n Peace Melvin Van Peebles ✊🏾🙏🏾✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/OH9D6Slnbx
— David Alan Grier (@davidalangrier) September 22, 2021
Rest in Peace, Melvin Van Peebles.
Godfather of Black cinema, Godfather of (all) American independent cinema, and so much more. https://t.co/VYmLcinVbk— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) September 22, 2021
RIP Melvin Van Peebles, an American artist and barrier-smasher pic.twitter.com/t6jwIncbbe
— Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken) September 22, 2021
Damn. Rest In Peace Melvin Van Peebles. The blueprint and inspiration for multiple generations of filmmakers. A whole legend. https://t.co/CfHBbXqIgT
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) September 22, 2021
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