Kicking High...In The Golden Years

Managing the changes of advancing years
by
Year Released
2001
Film Length(s)
58 mins

Introduction

Illustrating a positive approach to aging, Kicking High...In The Golden Years shares the lives of six African-American seniors, filmed at home, with their families and in their community.

Featured review

A stirring documentary.
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal

Synopsis

Framed within the rehearsals and final performance of a stage production, participants reflect upon past experiences and present circumstances, and share their emotions and accumulated wisdom. This timeless award-winning film reveals how each person's response to aging has yielded a life of joy, activity and fierce independence.

Reviews

A wonderful, uplifting film. It's especially important as the media doesn't often show minority people's constructive intereaction with their community.
Janet Zobel
National Director, Seniors in Community Service Programs, National Urban League, Inc.
A gem of a film.
Robert G. O'Meally
Ph.D., Center for Afro-American Studies, Wesleyan University
Excellent... entertaining... appropriate for any social service program dealing with senior living.
Editor's Choice
Editor's Choice
These seniors give inspiration to both their peers and younger Americans. A fine resource.
Booklist
Booklist
These people are ordinary folk with an extraordinary spirit which helps them face the realities of racism instead of keeping the burden of anger and bitterness inside.
The Rev. Timothy P. Mitchell
National Baptist Convention
A dramatic portrayal of ways of dealing with both the highs and lows of being a 'senior.' It captures the experiences of older Americans realistically and emotionally.
National Council of Senior Citizens
National Council of Senior Citizens
This heartwarming, inspirational view of senior citizens focuses on seniors from St. Marks, a church in a black middle-class Queens, New York neighborhood... The film presents a wonderful view of seniors, content with their past, happy with their present, extending their legacy to younger people. Students, seniors, and those working with seniors would benefit from this excellent film.
Library Journal
Library Journal
A collage of strength, acceptance, and dignity, coupled with beauty, laughter and love.
Judah L. Rouch
Ph.D., The Gerontologist
This stimulating film spans an issue which has no racial boundaries. All people over 55 have choices to make, in terms of generativity vs. isolationism. What we have here is a group of individuals who've made choices to generate in their older years, as opposed to isolating themselves in an angry, bitter position. These are sharing, concerned, positive people who are affecting others in a likewise fashion. The film is approprioate for any course in the behavioral sciences that studies the process of human development.
Mary Beth Morton
M.A., Curriculum Specialist, Pensacola Junior College

Awards and Screenings

CINE Golden Eagle Award
Red Ribbon, American Film & Video Festival
Retirement Research Foundation Media Award
Ann Arbor Film Festival
Anthropos Film Festival
Athens International Film Festival
Margaret Mead International Film Festival
National Council on Family Relations Film Festival
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