By Zach Wakefield
This September 21-23, Port Townsend began its 19th annual film festival this year, bringing hundreds of film buffs and visitors from across the US and internationally.
From inspiring films of science and innovation to personal dramas, the Port Townsend Film Festival showed dozens of films in theaters across Port Townsend, provoking discussion with the audience after each viewing.
Among these films was a headlining event, To Sleep with Anger, most notably starring actor Danny Glover, also known for his roles in the Lethal Weapon series and The Color Purple.
Originally screening in 1990, the film follows an African American family in Los Angeles living a normal life until an old friend from their past by the name of Harry, as played by Glover, gets invited into the home.
As illness and disagreements plague the family, consequences arise. After the film, Danny Glover and director Charles Burnett were called up for an interview and discussion on the film, its messages, and the making of the film.
“It wasn’t until Danny joined the cast did the support for the film become enough to call it a movie,” explains Burnett.
“It was originally supposed to be a mini-film, almost a TV series.”
Meeting at the San Francisco film festival, Burnett and Glover worked for the first time together on “To Sleep with Anger,” which upon release gathered much critical acclaim.