I AM NOT OK, A Dance Film by Gabrielle Lansner

I AM NOT OK, the award-winning dance film from choreographer and filmmaker Gabrielle Lansner, has been selected for The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, a group show celebrating the diversity of Brooklyn creatives on view at The Brooklyn Museum, October 4-January 26, 2025. Lansner’s 12-minute film, first released in 2022, immerses the viewer in a mother’s emotional response to the unending killings of Black Americans amidst the backdrop of the protests that followed the death of George Floyd. Lansner was one of 200 artists selected from over 4,000 applicants for the Brooklyn Artists Exhibition. The exhibition is part of The Brooklyn Museum’s 200th Anniversary celebration.

Directed by Gabrielle Lansner with narration and writing by Tiffiney Davis, I AM NOT OK weaves together dance, music, and spoken word to convey the response of a mother and son to the killing of George Floyd in 2020 amidst the backdrop of protests that followed. Lansner’s film is set to an actual Facebook Live recording posted at the time by Davis, Executive Director of the Red Hook Arts Project. I AM NOT OK, starring dancer/choreographer Pat Hall and dancer Dahsir Hausif, powerfully portrays the fear, outrage, and pent-up anger that came to symbolize a global movement to end anti-Black racism.

Since its 2022 release, I AM NOT OK has been screened at multiple film festivals in the United States and internationally. The film was an official selection at the Chelsea Film Festival, the Harlem International Film Festival, and the Queens World Film Festival, among others. It has received Awards for Best Cinedance at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival and Best Experimental Film from Brooklyn’s Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival, as well as a nomination for Best Social Justice Film from NYC’s MOM Film Festival.

“From her kitchen, in the thick of the Covid pandemic, Ms. Davis spoke about her outrage at the unending killings of Black Americans, the protests, and her fears for her son,” explained Lansner. “It was an impassioned plea and call to her community and to the world at large to protect the lives of Black children. My heart was pierced by her words and her pain. This is what spurred me on to create I AM NOT OK. I immediately asked Ms. Davis if I could use her words in my film. She said, ‘absolutely.’ I have been immeasurably moved by the response to the film and am honored to have it be part of The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition.”

For more information and to view the trailer for I AM NOT OK, please visit Gabrielle Lansner I AM NOT OK. For more information on The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, please visit: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/brooklyn-artists-exhibitions-2024.