Former New York Film Academy Documentary student Amy Wright’s film Legacy won Best Short at the March on Washington Film Festival, which was held at the White House in Washington D.C.
“I accept this award in honor of my late grandfather, who was the inspiration for the film,” said Wright. “I’m so glad to have been able to share the legacy of black Cowboys with the world.”
Her film provides us with the lesser-known aspects of Black history. Her journey with the Federation of Black Cowboys, from urban Brooklyn to rural Virginia, reveals the nuanced intersection of Black culture and American iconography.
“These cowboys have character in every sense of the word, from their quiet integrity to their colorful personalities,” said Andrea Swift, Chair of the Documentary Department, New York Film Academy. “Seen through the lens of Amy Wright’s camera, scions of the American West like Captain Lee, Rabbit, Momma, Bug, Magic and Mountain Man fill the screen and the imagination with an unconventional vision of life on the range—if the range was Brooklyn.”
“The making of Legacy has been a whirlwind experience, from pitching it in the one year NYFA doc program to its screening at the White House,” Wright said after receiving her award.
Wright’s film also premiered at DOC NYC and has gained critical acclaim in the press, including an exclusive radio interview with SHOT 97.