The film, “Maya Angelou: And I Still Rise” is the first feature documentary about the author and activist, and includes exclusive interviews with Dr. Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Common, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and others. Co-directed by Hercules and Rita Coburn-Whack, the film was also a 2016 Sundance Film Festival selection.
“It was a tremendous honor to have made the very first film about the incomparable Maya Angelou,” Hercules said in a previous interview with WMU. “I cherish the time I spent with her, and I hope the film will inspire people to overcome their own obstacles just as Dr. Angelou did with such grace.”
As a singer, dancer, activist, poet and writer, Angelou inspired generations with lyrical modern African-American thought that pushed boundaries. Best known for her autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” she gave people the freedom to think about their history in a way they never had before.
With unprecedented access, Hercules and the filmmakers trace Angelou’s incredible journey, shedding light on the untold aspects of her life through never-before-seen footage, rare archival photographs and videos and her own words. From her upbringing in the Depression-era South and her early performing career, to her work with Malcolm X in Ghana and her many writing successes, including her inaugural poem for President Bill Clinton, the documentary reveals hidden facets of her life during some of America’s most defining moments.
To learn more about Hercules, visit mediaprocess.com.
Bob Hercules (left), co-director Rita Coburn Whack (top, center) and Director of Photography Keith Walker (right) with Dr. Angelou in 2014.
Release and photo courtesy the WMU College of Arts and Sciences