Quiltmakers of Gee's Bend (2005)

This acclaimed PBS film documents a group of African-American artists from Gee's Bend, Alabama. The artists, primarily women, are descended from slaves and still inhabit the land their forefathers once worked. Their artwork, in the form of quilts, has been hailed by Michael Kimmelman of "The New York Times" as "some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced" and is also compared to the great artistic enclaves of the Italian Renaissance. The film explores the extraordinary lives, inspirations, and history of the quiltmakers, including their discovery by art historian Bill Arnett, and follows them on a poignant and journey to see their work exhibited in a major art museum.