Netflix & Educate (Part 1)
Black Lives Matter
Following the murder of George Floyd in June of this year, protests sparked all across the U.S. and all around the world on the subject of racial injustice and police brutality, which reintroduced the Black Lives Matter Movement immensely.
The black community, and their allies, have taken to the streets and to social media to express their indignation and utter outrage over the brutal injustice and oppression from officers of law and white supremacy dating back to when Europeans colonised America calling it, “the new world”, and committed many acts of genocide to the Indigenous peoples. As well as the 17th to 18th century when African people were taken from their homes to American colonisations, forced into slavery. Identically, when Australia was invaded by the Europeans arrival and again, an enormous amount of genocide took place. Polynesians and Pacific Islanders were brought to Australia and sold as slave-labour to the pearling industry, the cotton industry and more. The black/POC communities and their allies have continued to work passionately and desperately to bring victims of police brutality to justice and educate people around them of the past and present-day struggles many people have had to face. The pain is so clear, and The Black Lives Matter Movement is nothing new… On July 13th of 2013, the social movement started with the use of the hashtag #blacklivesmatter on many forms of social media after an American man, George Zimmerman shot African American teenager, Treyvon Martin in February 2012. Unfortunately, and sadly, many other deaths have occurred in the following years, despite the action taken by members of the movement, and the greater plea for change.
In spite of all these protests and posting and sharing of information and calls to action, police brutality and racial cruelty still happen, and some people are still quite clueless. It was a surprise to me that a lot of people I knew who were frequently socially active would not post anything about the movement, seeming to only follow the trend of posting a black square with the black lives matter hashtag. Some people might just not be on social media that much, some people might be uncomfortable with the situation, or don’t know how to ask the questions, or don’t know exactly how to educate themselves, which is all somewhat understandable. However if you would define yourself as an ally, a nonracist, or happen to have a friend who is a part of the black/POC community and are clearly hurting and trying to fight for their rights and their lives, but you’re afraid to ask questions, a good thing to do is educate yourself at home. And one of the best ways to do this is watching films! Because who doesn’t love watching films?
Learn more about history, racial injustice and the Black communities struggles and experiences with this collection of films, tv shows, and documentaries:
1. My Survival as an Aboriginal (1979) – Essie Coffey
My Survival as an Aboriginal was the first ever documentary directed by an Aboriginal, Muruwari woman, Essie Coffey. Now the cofounder of the Western Aboriginal Legal Service, Coffey created this film in 1979 with producer Martha Ansara to tell her story and provide a personal interpretation on what happened to her people in her hometown of Brewarrina and her personal views on why there is a struggle and hardships carried out against Aboriginal people. This film is a passionate protest to the colonialism and the taking of possessions and land, all of which are still relevant in today’s society in Australia. Small clips of the film have been posted on a YouTube playlist for viewers to watch.
2. Do the Right Thing (1989) – Spike Lee
Spike Lee is known for directing, producing, writing, and acting in many great films. Some of his most known include his biographical drama film tribute to African-American activist Malcolm X, Malcolm X (1992), 25th Hour (2002), and more recently BlackKklansman (2018) based on a true story. Those being only three of the 35 films his film production company 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks have made. Do the Right Thing (1989) is a brilliant comedy drama film displaying the racial tension in the streets of Brooklyn, New York. Following its release, the comedy had great critical and commercial success, deemed by the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant,” to life in New York neighbourhoods. Find this film on Amazon.com for rent.
3. Rabbit Proof Fence (2002) – Phillip Noyce
Produced and directed by Phillip Noyce, this Australian drama film is based off of Doris Pilkington Garimara’s 1996 book called Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence based on her mother Molly and two other mixed raced girls Daisy and Gracie and how they escaped from the Moore River Native Settlement in Perth. The film following the young girls as they take the long, tiring and treacherous journey along the 2,400km long rabbit proof fence for nine weeks to return home to their families in Jigalong, overcoming many hurdles along the way. This film is extremely powerful, with incredible performances form the young girls, and tells an incredibly important story in Australian history and about the Stolen Generation from 1905 to 1967. This film is available on the University Kanopy website.
4. Utopia (2013) – John Pilger
This documentary film written, produced, directed and presented by John Pilger, and co-directed by Alan Lowrey examines the experience and background of Aboriginal Australians in present-day Australia. Named after one of the most poverty-stricken and barren areas in Australia in the Northern Territory. It also explores the deaths of Aboriginal people in police custody. This film had a huge political impact in which government representatives were informed to defend the policies against any concerns or confrontations. This documentary is in fact a confronting film that seeks out the shocking truths on important and applicable subjects in the modern world. Utopia is available to watch for free on Vimeo.
5.‘13th’ (2016) – Ava DuVernay
American filmmaker, Ava DuVernay’s ‘13th’ (2016), explores the history of racial discrimination in America from the American Civil War, to today. It is also centred on the broken prison system in the U.S. This award-winning and Oscar nominated film is a fierce call to action that makes a powerful statement and will educate and inspire viewers. You can find this great film on Netflix now, as well as the follow up conversation with the director and Oprah Winfrey, ‘13th: A conversation with Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay’ (2017).
