HE IS: A Brooklyn-based filmmaker whose documentary, Still Bill, about Bill Withers (think “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lovely Day,” and “Just the Two of Us”) has become an indie hit

MORE  THAN MUSIC:  Ten years in the making, Still Bill is a testament to Baker’s endurance and vision. Before Withers even agreed to participate, the director had spent six years researching the singer’s life. Ultimately, his patience paid off.  The film focuses on Withers, the family man, not the R&B star, and winds up revealing the beautiful relationship between a black man and his daughter. Even the fellas will tear up.

A SCREEN GEM: Through Baker’s distributor, B-Side Entertainment, viewers can order a copy of the film and host private viewing parties. He hopes the grassroots approach will mean more DVD sales and greater mainstream interest.  When he found himself seated next to Roberta Flack and Gayle King at a recent screening of Still Bill hosted by Ashford & Simpson in the duo’s New York restaurant, Baker realized he was definitely onto something.

FILM FOR THOUGHT: Baker opines that there’s something cartoonish about some of the black films coming out of Hollywood.  “We’re far more complicated, layered, and dimensional than what’s currently being presented,” he says.  “We [filmmakers] can be a little smarter about what we’re offering people.” For more information, visit stillbillthemovie.com. 

—Keija Minor
Photography by Kwaku Kufuor

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