Your Pain Was Born Here is an experimental documentary and personal essay that highlights the stories of Blackness, self-discovery, and community. The film follows director Wilhelmina (Mina) Simone as she uncovers hidden parts of herself ...See moreYour Pain Was Born Here is an experimental documentary and personal essay that highlights the stories of Blackness, self-discovery, and community. The film follows director Wilhelmina (Mina) Simone as she uncovers hidden parts of herself through the process of making this project. The story follows Mina and her team, traveling through five countries in Europe, and develops around the interviews with individuals along her journey. These conversations dive into a dynamic range of topics from cultural to historical, and intimate discussions, bridging internal and external reflections of ourselves and society. This allows the film to explore themes of being a Black Woman, colorism, intersectionality, shame, coming of age, and finding community. Through this journey, we learn the similarities and differences between the Black experience of Europeans and Americans through the lens of the interviewees and Mina. Showing that Blackness, in all of its pits and glory, is a collective and human experience. In Minas self-reflection, she realized that each conversation represented a part of herself she had yet to discover. This film aims to bridge the gap between the African American communities and the greater Black diaspora. Through this process, the film wove itself into a love letter to herself and the Black community. Written by
Wilhelmina Simone
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