Billy Woodberry, 1983, 80 minutes

Bless Their Little Hearts stands as a signal achievement of the L.A. Rebellion, the influential group of African American filmmakers that coalesced around UCLA in the 70s and 80s. Woodberry’s debut is a keenly observed drama about a family in Watts and the struggle to make ends meet—its exhausting emotional costs, its material facts—rendered through artful compositions and an expressive soundtrack. This is a picture that speaks powerfully in wordless moments, where the camera lingers, articulating deferred dreams and love gone sour with subtle gestures and passing glances. Programmed by Thomas Beard of Light Industry, who will introduce the film.