NJ Legacy Takes Spotlight at Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival
Directed by Andre Gaines and starring André Holland and Aldis Hodge, the film reimagines Amiri Baraka’s blistering one-act play for a contemporary audience while preserving its bold critique of American race relations.
OAK BLUFFS, Mass. — The 23rd Annual Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival (MVAAFF) featured a powerful screening of The Dutchman, a 2025 film adaptation of the 1964 Obie Award-winning play by Newark native and former New Jersey poet laureate Amiri Baraka, one of New Jersey’s most influential literary and political figures.
Directed by Andre Gaines and starring André Holland and Aldis Hodge, the film reimagines Baraka’s blistering one-act play for a contemporary audience while preserving its bold critique of American race relations. The screening drew a full house and was followed by a panel discussion with lead actor Holland, Hodge, and the director.
The original play Dutchman premiered during the Civil Rights era and is set entirely on a New York City subway train. It tells the story of Clay, a middle-class Black man, whose seemingly casual interaction with Lula, a white woman, quickly descends into psychological manipulation and violence. The encounter serves as a sharp allegory for the dangers of liberal racism, the performative nature of tolerance, and the deep-seated tensions at the heart of American society.
Mark Tyler
"It's a cautionary tale that's been around since the dawn of time," said Gaines. "I didn't invent it. These brothers didn't invent it."
Baraka was born LeRoi Jones. However, he changed his name during a personal and political transformation, was a towering figure in American letters. He was a founder of the Black Arts Movement and a cultural critic who used theater, poetry, and essays to challenge systems of oppression. His roots in Newark and lifelong commitment to activism have made him a central figure in New Jersey’s cultural history.
"Amiri Baraka wrote this incredible play that embodied it in the best way possible, and I have him to thank for these incredible words that I was able to put on screen," Gaines said.
The film adaptation at MVAAFF introduces Dutchman to a new generation, with the festival providing a fitting platform for this work’s continued relevance. Themes of racial identity, power, and societal expectation remain as urgent today as they were in 1964.
Holland said that when he was cast as Clay, he realized the role's importance and sought to bring his own energy to the character without compromising the role's integrity.
"When I first got it, I felt the responsibility of it, the weight of it," Holland said. "There's a long history of actors who have played the part and a long history of directors who have directed it. I wanted to honor the lineage of actors who have passed through it."
Gaines utilized creative license by expanding the role of Warren to bring Hodge to the big screen. Some may have been afraid of the Warren role, because it wasn't prominent in the original play. Hodge, however, was excited.
"When I read the script, I felt like there was an absolute understanding and command of the original context and the foundation of the play," said Hodge.
Gaines said people familiar with the original know that Warren is in the play, but he is only referenced in relation to Clay. "There was always this idea of what type of guy is his friend, also what type of guy is Clay. We don't really know a lot about these characters on stage," Gaines explained. "That was an opportunity to expand that role in cinema and take us into another place."
The Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival, now in its 23rd year, continues to serve as a launchpad for films that challenge, inspire, and celebrate Black voices in cinema. With The Dutchman, Amiri Baraka’s voice once again echoes—this time from the screen, but it is still rooted in the streets of New Jersey.
For more information, visit www.mvaaff.com.
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