Black Roots, Lionel Rogosin’s fourth film is aimed at revealing the black experience in 1970s America. It is a unique oral history that uses song and bittersweet stories to illustrate the difficulties of black people living in a white America. Bitter Sweet Stories Talking about Black Roots is a documentary about the making of Rogosin’s film. It further explores his creative process and inspiration. With interviews featuring Ruth Schell the editor of Black Roots, and Jim Collier one of the participants in the film, it gives us a new perspective on Rogosin’s work and a peak into the lives of the people featured in the original Black Roots film. We find out who these figures are, why they told their stories and how they found their way onto Rogosin’s set.

Michael Rogosin