From KCRW Santa Monica and KCRW.com, it's The Treatment.

Welcome to The Treatment. I'm Elvis Mitchell. It was 25 years ago that the film,

Eves Bayou, changed the stakes in independent film and planted the flag for women of color as directors and writers.

Its writer-director, Casey Lemons, was here about 25 years ago talking about that movie.

She's been here for a few movies in between.

Her current triumph as director is Whitney Houston.

I want to dance with somebody.

Casey Lemons, thank you so much for being here.

You know, it's always a pleasure.

God, you know, it's so interesting, too,

because we think about your films,

if we think about ease by you,

or talk to me, or black nativity.

And now this, at some point, they're all about an article of faith.

They're all about somebody taking, either leaping past everything to believe in themselves

or to take a belief in others.

And I want to talk to you about that because that idea of believing, forcing yourself to believe

sometimes even against your own best instincts, which is what Eves Bayou is, where that comes from for you is subject matter?

I think it comes from very deep in my childhood, Elvis. I mean, it's always been such a part of me believing.

I can remember when I was a little kid, I would get sick a lot and I would hallucinate, you know,

and I remember thinking about what was real for a very long time. Also, reflecting on my

relationship with my big sister who would spin stories a lot and I would have to kind of figure

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