Here, I’ll be sharing a short list of movies that grossly depict racism and only a few ways of how black people have been and are still being treated. It’s only a small way of keeping the conversation going about the unjust treatment of black people that has taken place for years in the United States. Including police brutality.
Movies have been, for as long as we can remember, literally viewed as escapes from our current realities. They are the places where we can run off to for a couple of hours and experience someone else’s joy, triumph, glory and success.
And there are those films that share the pain or horror and make us feel uncomfortable and leave us to hopefully reflect upon ourselves as we walk out the theater. (If you’ve seen the horror movie Hereditary, I’m so sorry)
And then you have films that shine much needed light on subjects worth talking about, some are even based on true horror stories that real people in real life went through. Or worse, still going through today.
Those are the ones I’m here to talk about.
Black Lives Matter
Let me start by saying that I’m not black. I will never understand how or what it feels like to live in a country where racism still exists towards black people and where it’s so deeply rooted into every part of the system.
However, I stand with our black community in solidarity.
It’s been a rough week couple weeks. Scratch that, it’s been a rough 400 years for black people. I’m so privileged that I get to say “rough”… our black community has lived through hell for a lot longer than a couple weeks, a lot longer before George Floyd was murdered at the hands of police.
And even though I’ll never truly understand, I can educate myself about the issue and so can you. There are endless resources available for us to use, there’s no excuse whatsoever.
You like reading? There are hundred of books you can read. Do you watch the news for information? Research quality and accurate sources. Would you rather watch a movie? Then this post is for you.
Movies That Confront Racism
Here’s the list as promised. I’ve also included the places where they’re available to either rent, buy or watch for free. And by free I mean with monthly subscription to that provider. Feel free to watch the movie trailers, I’ve attached links to them as well.
- 42 (2013) – Available to rent on iTunes, Google Play & Amazon Prime Video
- BlacKkKlansman (2018) – Free on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, & HBO Max and available to buy in Google Play
- Malcolm X (1992) – Free on Netflix, available to rent & buy on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Prime Video
- Selma (2014) – Free on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play & Apple TV and available to rent & buy on iTunes
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- Fruitvale Station (2013) – Available to rent & buy Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and iTunes
- I Am Not Your Negro (2017) – Free on Amazon Prime Video and available to rent & buy on iTunes and Google Play
- Just Mercy (2019) – Free on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Google Play.
We Need To End Racism
There’s no going back to “normal” because “normal” means going back to the unfair treatment of black people all over the world, not just the US. We’re beyond past that, 2020 might have been the year we needed the most to finally make this change.
I hope you’re also educating yourself, doing the research and lending a hand in this much-needed protest to stop the racism that runs deep in this country. Take some time to watch the movies mentioned above, among so many, that can help us take a peek inside the worlds that have been wrongly formed against black people for generations.
Also, if you haven’t scrolled through Netflix, there’s a Black Lives Matter Collection you can check out as well. Let’s get to it!
If you’d like to share your favorite, leave a comment! I’m definitely expanding on this list.
You can also check out my post on 10 ways to become more well-rounded, now’s the perfect time to do so.
How You Can Help
Along with educating ourselves, there are plenty of ways we can do our part to be part of this movement, to be on the right side of history. You can visit the following website for resources such as petitions you can sign, where to donate, information for protestors (along with a map of the cities where protests are taking place) and other links to learn more.
Thanks for reading!
Please remember, Black Lives Matter is so much more than just a trend or a hashtag on Twitter. Keep using your voice, keep demanding change in however you possibly can.
-Karina
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