For The Sake of Old Times

From the pews of a church where white deacons once refused to seat African Americans, a group of Black singers in Alabama reminds us why preserving our memories of this historic year is vital — even if we'd rather just leave 2020 behind.

They're singing "Auld Lang Syne," the Scottish ballad synonymous with ringing in the new year. It begins with this line: "Should auld acquaintance be forgot / And never brought to mind?"

That question — of whether to forget the past — is central to the art film, For The Sake Of Old Times, debuting on NPR this week.

"It's certainly my tendency — and maybe our natural human tendency — to want to rush forward and put this year behind us," explains Tyler Jones, the film's director. "But that may do a disservice, I think, to our memories and those who went before us."

Produced by a diverse group of filmmakers assembled by 1504, a studio based in Birmingham, Ala., For The Sake Of Old Times pairs the performance of "Auld Lang Syne" with archival footage from 2020, particularly of the summer's racial justice protests.