Virginia Film Festival

Based on his book of the same name, Gordon Parks’ The Learning Tree follows Newt, a sharp, African-American teenager who meets racial prejudices with composure and pride, unlike his hot-headed best friend Marcus. Witnessing a murder in 1920s rural Kansas drastically alters Newt’s life, forcing him to choose between coming forward to clear the man being framed for the crime or remaining silent. His choice threatens to shake the community to its core. Facing this difficult choice raises racial, personal, and emotional issues, forcing Newt to prematurely leap into adulthood. As the first major studio feature film led by an African-American director, The Learning Tree represents an intimate, previously marginalized view on this important historical moment.

Supported by the Library of Congress and The Fralin Museum of Art