Celebrated as a key film in the canon of African-American independent cinema in the 1990s, Bridgett M. Davis’s first and only feature is a fresh, sensitive exploration of a Black actress attempting to reclaim her sexuality.
Cicely, a beautiful aspiring actor, has just landed her first major role. But there’s a problem: it requires a nude scene. Her mother was a Blaxploitation star known for her sex appeal, while Cicely is a survivor of sexual assault with life-long body image issues. Combined, these issues have left her with a strong aversion to dis-robing in public. Now, with the support of her boyfriend Joel, she attempts to overcome her fear. Naked Acts is a gem of a rediscovery – a biting, witty takedown of cinematic and cultural mores.
2023 restoration from original film stock preserved by Black Film Center & Archive (Indiana University).