“1955” By Onry

In "1955", award-winning Portland opera singer Onry honors the legacy of Emmett Till, an African American teenager whose murder catalyzed the civil rights movement.

In grieving this act of violence, Onry honors his ancestors, creates space for Black imagination, and asks what we must do in 2022 and beyond to create an inclusive, spacious future. This powerful short film explores the time slippage of generational trauma, drawing parallels, both real and imagined, between 1955 and 2022. 

“1955” underscores themes of justice, power, and the creative act as transformative resistance. Onry’s performance brings joy and pain to the surface, showcasing the marginalized body in acts of ritual. In doing so, he affirms creativity as a tool for healing and resilience in the face of deadly oppression.

Credits

Directed and Filmed by Martin Melnick
Music by Jonathan Mooney & Onry
Management and Post Producing by Joni Whitworth
Lighting by Brynden McNew
Choreography by Franco Nieto
Set decoration by Sarah Awa’xe and Ashton Davenport
Production assistance by Rellie Hailstone
Assistant Musical Director and background vocals by Emily Haswell
Wardrobe by Talia Gordon

Cast:
Onry
Joshua Khatena
Alex Lohmann
Amarantha Harrison
Charles Roy Jr
Sarah Awa’xe
Ashton Davenport

Special thanks to:
Junior's Cafe
DigAPony
The Vintage Tour Bus Company
Oregon Humanities
Open Space Dance Studio
The Budget Inn Gladstone

An Invade Motion Pictures Production in Association with Future Prairie