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Eye Filmmuseum
In a grainy black-and-white film still full of movement shot looking up at a roof from a small alleyway, a young male figure leaps from one roof to the next.

still Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, US 1977)

Films, Talks & Events

Everyday Blues

The Films of Charles Burnett

27 November — 15 December 2026

Films, Talks & Events
still from My Brother's Wedding (Charles Burnett, US 1983)

still My Brother's Wedding (Charles Burnett, US 1983)

Charles Burnett's masterpiece Killer of Sheep (1977) is a sketch of the life of a family in Watts, and was seen as the ultimate underground film. Lack of budget meant it wasn’t possible to get the film distributed – nevertheless, these ‘underground’ screenings made a name for Burnett, also in Europe.

Rarely shown, now finally back on the big screen: the films of legendary American filmmaker Charles Burnett, a pioneer of the Black independent cinema movement of the ’70s and ’80s known as L.A. Rebellion. Three of his films have now been digitally restored, including his debut Killer of Sheep.
still from The Annihilation of Fish (Charles Burnett, US 1999)

still The Annihilation of Fish (Charles Burnett, US 1999)

still from To Sleep with Anger (Charles Burnett, US 1990)

still To Sleep with Anger (Charles Burnett, US 1990)

The family drama To Sleep with Anger (1990) likewise received hardly any promotion, in spite of glowing reviews. Distributor Harvey Weinstein ensured that The Glass Shield (1994), a portrayal of racism and corruption within a sheriff’s department, languished on a shelf for a year. For many years, Burnett’s The Annihilation of Fish (1999) – a tender romantic comedy – hardly received a screening, before re-emerging as a lost jewel of American independent cinema.

still from Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, US 1977)

still Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, US 1977)

Burnett’s films have hardly been seen in the Netherlands – until now. Three of his films are recently digitally restored in 4K. In 1990, Killer of Sheep was one of the first films to be granted the designation ‘National Treasure’ by the Library of Congress. In 2017, Burnett received an honorary Oscar for his oeuvre.

In a grainy black-and-white film still full of movement shot looking up at a roof from a small alleyway, a young male figure leaps from one roof to the next.

still Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, US 1977)

Films, Talks & Events

In addition, Eye is screening films by makers frequently cited by Burnett as influences on his work, and films by makers inspired by Burnett: Steve McQueen, Barry Jenkins, Ava DuVernay and Sean Baker.

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