Salvation

Langston Hughes: "Salvation"

"I was saved from sin when I was going on 13. But not really saved. It happened like this . . "

So begins this powerful dramatization of "Salvation," Langston Hughes' eloquent autobiographical
story which illustrates how his aunt's well-meaning efforts to bring him into the spiritual fold
resulted in a moral crisis. Calmly waiting for Jesus to appear in the hot, crowded church, young
Langston anticipation changes to confusion and disillusion when pressured to choose between being
true to himself or fulfilling the expectations of the preacher, his aunt,
and the rest of the congregation (30 minutes).

The film stars Gary Leroi Gray (Showtime's "The Tiger Woods Story") Ella Joyce (TV's "Roc") Lou
Beatty Jr (PBS's "American Family") and Haskell Vaughn Anderson III ("Law and Order").
Following the dramatization, there's an interview with Alice Waker (novelist, The Color Purple)
and Arnold Rampersad (Langston Hughes's official biographer) to shed light on Hughes's life
and times (25 minutes). Produced and directed by Bruce Schwartz.

(Total running time: 55 minutes) Release date - January 2003.