Al Santana is a visual artist, independent filmmaker, cinematographer, and still photographer. His credits over the past 40 years includes work on numerous award-winning documentaries, public affairs films and videos that have aired on both network and public television.
2012, Al Santana and co-director Denise Belén Santiago produced Salty Dog Blues, a documentary film that takes a look at a little-known history of people of color in the U.S. merchant marines. It specifically focuses on the contributions of men and women of Puerto Rico, the US Mainland, Jamaica and Surinam during times of war and peace and their relationship to the National Maritime Union.
Salty Dog Blues won first prize in the 2013 Workers Unite International Film Festival.
One People (2007) Al’s independent short features poet/playwright and activist, Amiri Baraka and Ruby Dee. The hybrid doc/fiction film focuses on two sisters and their quest to discover a politicized Lorraine Hansberry. One People premiered at the 11th annual Harlem Stage On Screen film festival, screened at Creatively Speaking Film Festival at BAM Rose Cinemas, the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival and was included in a retrospective of Al’s work at BAM Cinematek’s “Brooklyn Close Up” at BAM Rose Cinemas.
Blues People (2007) Al participated in the National Black Programming Consortium’s New Media Institute, Al documented Mississippi blues musicians for an interactive web series titled “Blues People” which aired WGBO Boston.
Military Option (2005) co-produced with filmmaker Rico Speight and Third World Newsreel, this documentary short takes a critical look at military recruiting practices within communities of color. Military Option has screened at The National Gallery of Art, BAM Rose Cinemas, The Museum of Modern Art, Anthology Film Archives and at various colleges and universities.
Durban 400 (2003) an independent documentary video produced by Iman Drammeh of the Drammeh Institute and Al Santana Productions chronicles the successful political efforts of a coalition of grass-roots activist from the African diaspora who attended the 2001 UN World Conference Against Racism, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance to address the issue of The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, Racism and Colonialism as Crimes Against Humanity. The film has been used in organizing efforts world-wide to shed light on the issue.
In The Spirit of Peace (2002) In response to the events of 9/11, Al Santana’s documentary short screened at the Brooklyn Arts Council, Museum of Modern Art, BAM Rose Cinemas and aired on WNET Channel 13’s Reel New York.
Voices of The Gods (1985) looks at two ancient West African religions practiced in the United States today. The feature documentary premiered at the 1985 Margaret Mead International Film Festival and went on to screen at festivals in France, Italy, Burkina Faso, Canada, and is currently housed in the permanent collection of the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Research Center in Black Culture and numerous colleges, universities and museums.
As a free-lance cinematographer, Al worked on the Oscar Nominated “Who Killed Vincent Chin” directed by Christine Choy; “Born In Flames” directed by Lizzy Borden; “I Be Done Been Was Is” directed by Debra Robinson; “Litany For Survival: The Life and Work of Audrey Lorde” directed by Michelle Parkerson, Produced by Ada Gay Griffin, and “Namibia, Independence Now” directed by Christine Choy, produced by Pearl Bowser.
As staff cinematographer for New Jersey Public Television 1977 to 1980, Al shot a variety of documentaries, including a TV special on famed recording artist and song stylist Sarah Vaughan titled Listen To The Sun.
Mr. Santana has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean to shine a light on various groups and individuals whose stories of struggle against oppression might otherwise not get notice.
As adjunct faculty, Al taught analog film and digital video production courses at the City College of New York and taught digital film production courses at the Digital Film Academy in New York City.
Al holds a Masters Of Fine Arts degree in digital cinema from National University, a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology and film, from The City University of New York’s CUNY BA program.
Al is a former member of IATSE Local 600 Cinematographers Union. Currently, a member of The Black Documentary Collective, DV Republic and The Independent Feature Project.
Art and Photography Exhibitions:
2022 Al’s abstract painting titled Kuumba is published in Tribes #16, The Black Lives Matter Issue.
2022 Al is the recipient of a New York State Arts Council Individual Artist Award for painting. His series of abstract paintings is a meditation on the Great Migration of African-Americans from southern states to northern and western state during the early 20th, century.
2020 Emerging Abstract Painter: Official Selection as Artist In Residence at Blue Mountain Center, New York to produce two large-scale abstract paintings.
2019 Abstract Art Exhibition: Al’s digital photos were exhibited at RUSH Arts Philly and The Upper Darby Art Gallery in a show titled I KAN DO DAT, curated by Danny Simmons and Noah Smalls.
Photo exhibition 2020 “Vision 1020” Kenkelaba House, New York. Group show featuring photography produced between the years 2010-2020.
Photo exhibition: 1986 “From Alabama to Zambia” DC37, New York with photographer Marilyn Nance, depicting intersectionality of cultures in Zambia, Africa and Alabama USA.