Daughters of the Dust

In the film Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash 1991), the director utilizes mise-en-scene by showing off the geography of the location creating a setting of tranquility. The juxtaposition of the calm environment vs the turmoil in the family illustrates the complex identity that the women in the family are faced with. 

To begin with, throughout the film the viewers are faced with striking views and compositions that illustrate the beauty of the landscape and highlight how the family interacts in their home environment. Continuing, the mise-en-scene helps to reveal the struggle of identity that the women of the family are experiencing in defining their identity. One scene that exemplifies this is a scene of a conversation between Mr.Sead and Trula. The camera follows Mr. Snead as he organizes his equipment. In a wide shot, the scene starts with a complex frame. Dissected into three layers from the layer of the ocean, and sky; the shore with the men fighting; and closest to the camera of the beach; many things are happening at this moment. As Trula approaches Mr. Snead to tell him dinner is ready, he begins to mention the African culture present while low to the ground in a positive tone. When he sands up it cuts to a medium shot and the audience can see Trula’s face of judgment. As Trula responds to his comment the shot starts to punch in with a cross-cut to a full shot of the men fight-playing on the beach. As we watch the men on the beach fight Trula mentions how the old spoil the children with dreams and magic but also that they are the most important part of the family. When the camera cuts back to Trula and Mr.Snead there is a loving expression on her face. The mise-en-scene in this scene is particularly important because we can see both the foreground and the background but it is the cut in onto the background that amplifies the tone of the scene.  Trula begins her statement almost confronting and judgemental as we see the two characters in the background face-off, Mr. Snead and Trula emulate this as well as they both take up two sides of the frame. In this way, the mise-en-scene shows the struggle that Trula feels because although the beach and motions of the water on the shore are beautiful and calming the characters are composed with tension. Trula is the one that faces the complexity of her identity as she feels connected to her family and values the importance of the people but not of the ideas they expound. 

Continuing, another scene that exemplifies the interaction of the girls’ identity and their environment is when Yellow Mary and her friend sit in a big tree. In this scene,  the tree is covered in moss and takes up the majority of the frame, however, it still reveals the beach and blue sky of the background. Yellow Mary and her friend sit among the branches of the tree almost as though they are part of them. Eula is seen looking at her reflection in the water when Yellow Mary criticizes her.  As Yellow Mary talks to Eula, who is still on the ground, she gives a condescending tone. The composition of this scene reveals the dynamic between the girls as Yellow Mary literally talks down to Eula about her more spiritual practices and more loving interaction with the nature of the island.  The wind blowing the moss and branches of the tree, relaxed postures of the characters, and short depth of field gives a sense of calm to the visual eye. But beneath the surface, the audience can see Yellow Mary’s unbalanced perception as her spirituality and connection to nature is a part of who she is but she rejects it when speaking to Eula.