We Were Here Film and Talk

February 27, 2025 by ljudy

Acclaimed Afro-Italian filmmaker Fred Kudjo Kuwornu will present his documentary We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, and engage in a question-and-answer session afterward in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of Hodges Library. The event provides an opportunity to engage with a significant yet underexplored aspect of history and visual culture.

Kuwornu’s film takes a close look at the often-overlooked presence of African and Black individuals in Renaissance Europe. The film examines their representation in historical artworks and explores the narratives surrounding their roles. Kuwornu, who describes himself as a “a multi-hyphenate, socially engaged artist, filmmaker, and scholar,” previously presented the film at the 60th Annual Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale.

Annachiara Mariani, associate professor and chair of the Italian program in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, coordinated the screening as an opportunity to connect UT students and faculty with this intriguing work.

“My background in Italian cinema and transnational media studies led me to investigate how historical narratives are constructed and disseminated through film and television,” said Mariani. “Given this focus, I was naturally drawn to Kuwornu’s work, which critically examines representations of Black Africans in European history, particularly during the Renaissance.”

Renaissance Experiences

Traditional histories often neglect or minimize Black narratives, reinforcing a Eurocentric view of this much-studied era. Kuwornu’s documentary presents a compelling, research-driven counterpoint through the lived experiences, contributions, and agency of Black individuals in Renaissance Europe. 

“The film is particularly powerful because it challenges the assumption that the Renaissance was an exclusively white European phenomenon,” said Mariani. “By integrating art, archival research, and historical analysis, Kuwornu expands our understanding of the period’s global dimensions, illustrating how Africa and its diaspora were deeply intertwined with European cultural and political life.”

We Were Here also shows the ways in which these historical narratives evolve over time. 

“As new research emerges, our collective understanding of history is refined, and film serves as an essential medium for making these insights accessible to a wide audience,” said Mariani. “The documentary’s visual storytelling allows for a reexamination of the past in ways that text alone often cannot achieve.”

Interdisciplinary Appeal

The film prompts a reconsideration of how history is studied and taught with its investigation of topics across multiple disciplines: world languages, history, cinema studies, Africana studies, and art history.

“For students in Italian Studies, the film reveals a Renaissance that was far more diverse and interconnected than traditional curricula often suggest,” said Mariani. “For cinema studies, it provides a case study in how documentary filmmaking functions as a form of public history and a tool for reshaping cultural memory. Art History students can engage with representations of Black Africans in Renaissance art, while those in Africana Studies will see how Black identity has been constructed and erased over time.”

Kuwornu’s post-screening discussion will give students and faculty the opportunity to engage directly with his research and creative process.

“I hope it will inspire critical discussions about race, representation, and the politics of historiography—not only in relation to Renaissance studies but also in the broader context of contemporary media and education,” said Mariani.

Admission to the film and talk is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences with support from the Haines-Morris Grant and co-sponsored by the Departments of World Languages and Cultures, Africana Studies, and Cinema Studies.

By Randall Brown