UVA employee creates documentary on Memorial to Enslaved Laborers

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Erik Duda was employed at the University of Virginia for nine years. He has spent the last three years focusing on one film project.

In 2018, Duda learned that UVA constructed the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. He spoke with people in Charlottesville, descendants of the enslaved laborers, and others to hear the full story.

“Not just honoring the the enslaved laborers that built up, but the descendants that are still in this community, and that’s kind of been, you know, shunned out of the conversation for dozens of years,” the filmmaker said.

The 50-minute documentary premiered at the Virginia Film Festival. There will be two screenings of it in February and March.

Duda says the film will be available to the public by the end of the year.

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