My Life: Thoughts on 12 Years A Slave
Last week, I had the privilege of seeing 12 Years a Slave at the New York Film Festival. Seeing the preview for the movie before, I just chalked it up to be another slave movie that I would consider going to. The driving force behind me even considering it is the fact that it is yet another black movie gracing cinemas around the country. Black movies are having a good year and as a black actress, it's important to me to show the powers that be that movie goers enjoy and support ethnicity on their screens.
My friend Alex asked me if I wanted to go & I said sure. Y'all, I was NOT ready for this film.
All the slave films I've seen fantasize the ugly truth of this nation's history. Of course, there are aspects of these films that make you cringe but the thing about movies is that you can always just pan away from a scene that brings discomfort--then the audience is left to use their imagination to fill in the blanks. Ohh but the director of 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen (who I found out the night I went to see the film is a black man), did just the opposite. There was no Hollywood magic. There was no fantasy. It was as close to the truth a film has ever been. Steve McQueen fearlessly went there in this film and he was not afraid to make his audience literally sit through and deal with the horrid nature of slavery second by second, minute by minute. It makes sense that we as the audience are forced to endure because when you think about it, in real life, there was no panning away of the camera. Everybody around had to deal with the reality of slavery.
I'm not in the business of spoiling. Let's just say I weeped three times. But I encourage EVERYONE to go see 12 Years a Slave. Here's why:
1) You can read about slavery. You can have all the knowledge in the world about it. But for people who are visual like I am, the truth of slavery may not resonate reading it as much as it would seeing it.
2) Black actors. Black director. If you want to see more of them in movies & television, SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT
I promote this film like I'm in it! lol But go see it.
II.
Candyce Adkins
My friend Alex asked me if I wanted to go & I said sure. Y'all, I was NOT ready for this film.
All the slave films I've seen fantasize the ugly truth of this nation's history. Of course, there are aspects of these films that make you cringe but the thing about movies is that you can always just pan away from a scene that brings discomfort--then the audience is left to use their imagination to fill in the blanks. Ohh but the director of 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen (who I found out the night I went to see the film is a black man), did just the opposite. There was no Hollywood magic. There was no fantasy. It was as close to the truth a film has ever been. Steve McQueen fearlessly went there in this film and he was not afraid to make his audience literally sit through and deal with the horrid nature of slavery second by second, minute by minute. It makes sense that we as the audience are forced to endure because when you think about it, in real life, there was no panning away of the camera. Everybody around had to deal with the reality of slavery.
I'm not in the business of spoiling. Let's just say I weeped three times. But I encourage EVERYONE to go see 12 Years a Slave. Here's why:
1) You can read about slavery. You can have all the knowledge in the world about it. But for people who are visual like I am, the truth of slavery may not resonate reading it as much as it would seeing it.
2) Black actors. Black director. If you want to see more of them in movies & television, SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT
I promote this film like I'm in it! lol But go see it.
II.
Candyce Adkins
Hmmmm, I have to see it now. Did it already come out in theaters or was this a special thing?
ReplyDeleteIt comes out this Friday 10/18 but only in select theaters. It'll probably be nationwide the next weekend.
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