OK, not sure what it’s like everywhere else, but if London’s West End is anything to go by, then the Christmas lights must be on in full wattage in every high/main street in the commercialverse, reminding us all that God so loved the world that he gave us all credit/debit cards…

So what to get for the discerning lover of black film this Chri$£mas…?

Well, Pomegranate, a leading source for fine art books, calendars, notecards, and more, has commissioned Separate Cinema Archive to bring the nearly lost world of early Black film to a new generation in the form of two new products that aim to educate, entertain, and inspire.

The Art of Black Film: Vintage Movie Posters 1919-1967, is a book of  color postcard reproductions of black film art/posters, bound in a handy postcard collection.

John Kisch, Directr of the Separate Cinema Archive says of the collection:

Vintage Movie Posters pays tribute to the black actors and filmmakers who overcame the industry’s daunting challenges to make outstanding contributions to American film history. Marking the early milestones, tragedies, ironies, and humor of the journey, it is a memorial to the determination and little-known achievements of pioneers Noble Johnson and Oscar Micheaux; to the dignity of Ethel Waters and Louise Beavers; to the humanity and stature of Paul Robeson and Ossie Davis; to the genius of Duke Ellington, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, and Nat King Cole; to the beauty and tragedy of Dorothy Dandridge; and to all of the others who paved the way for Sidney Poitier.

Black Film: A Quiz Deck on African American Movies, Actors, and Directors, 48 fact-filled Knowledge Cards in a deck the size of a pack of playing cards.

This 48-card quiz deck spotlights the extraordinary contributions to cinematic history made by African Americans—from Oscar Micheaux to Spike Lee, from Hattie McDaniel to Halle Berry. What was the first Hollywood movie with an all-black cast? Which famous black actor played in the Super Bowl? And who were those two contemporary stars making Hollywood history in 2002? Black Film entertains you with the answers to those questions and dozens more.

The Separate Cinema Archive is a collection of more than 25,000 rare film posters, lobby cards and photographs from 30 countries and which chronicle the historic and turbulent journey of the Black film industry, Black actors and Black directors. You can find out more about it, including its world-wide travelling exhibit, at the Separate Cinema® website.