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Supporting the Black Lives Matter movement through cinematic education

Shelby Cooke
6 min readJun 4, 2020
I Am Not a Witch (Artificial Eye)

Like the rest of the world, I have been appalled and horrified by the events that have been taking place since the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. I have sat, completely in shock, watching the police attack peaceful protestors, the “president” demand a military state and more black lives being killed. I haven’t known what to do, what to say, how to help. Like many other white people, I often don’t speak out when issues of race and injustice crop up. I certainly don’t support the white supremacy nor the killing of black people — so, why haven’t I said anything? I have no problem speaking up about issues involving female inequality and sexism — why don’t I speak up about race? I’m not afraid of being labelled as a “white racist” or being exiled from my friends and family. In reality, I’m afraid of saying something wrong, of doing the wrong thing or just not doing enough. I’m afraid that this isn’t my place and not my fight to fight — that I’ll be wrong for standing in someone else’s place.

I realise now that this is unacceptable. I realise now that silence is me being complacent in the very acts I find revolting. I should be speaking out, using my voice and privilege as a white person to support my fellow countrymen that are being killed. I should welcome being called out for my ignorance, as it allows me the opportunity to learn about the things I don’t know and grow in my political positioning. For my silence and complacency, I’m sorry.

In light of that, I have been finding it hard to figure out how I can help during this moment. I’ve been going back and forth, wondering if this action will be helpful at all: watching a film isn’t the same as going out on the streets and protesting, as joining organisations and fighting for a cause. But, I also know that everything I know about life, I’ve learned from a film.

I truly believe in the power of cinema — in its ability to teach you about a world you don’t know and to allow you to live a life you would never be able to live. Cinema and art is such a powerful tool to allow us to transport and educate ourselves about the lives of others — whether that be someone living in Japan, or someone suffering from a life-threatening disability or someone who has a different skin colour. Through films, I learn not just about myself, but about my country and its marginalised minorities, about the inequalities faced by those different from myself, and about the world with all its horrors, but equally all its wonders. In Moonlight, I learned about the Black experience and the social exclusion of being a black gay man in modern America. This is an experience I could never have as an individual: I’m not a black gay man in Miami. Yet films have allowed me to cultivate experiences like these, to see the world in a way I could never see it without art. Films celebrate the human experience and provide a means for others to share in those experience, and I have become a more tolerant, understanding and thoughtful individual because of it.

The list below features a number of films made by black filmmakers about the black experience, not just in America but around the world. I wanted to ensure that these films were made by black people, not only because it brings visibility to unrepresented filmmakers, but because it brings authenticity to the black stories. It is so important to acknowledge that the film and art industry, like the rest of the world, is ruled by the white narrative, and often times, black stories can be white-washed (take, for example, Green Book). I think it would be extremely irresponsible of me to suggest watching a “black film” that is made by a white man, who uses stereotypes and racial coding in the film, which continues to propagate the white perspective of blackness. This isn’t a definitive list — just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve also included a link to each director’s IMDB page, so you can do more research on their films and watch more from their filmography.

If you are white and looking to better yourself on the black experience, you should also find other means of education. Cinema can’t be the end all be all. You should speak to your black friends and colleagues about their experiences, learning from them (not during this time, but in the future when they have space); you should read books and educate yourself on the black history of oppression; you should speak to your white family and friends and educate them on how to combat our society’s hidden racism; you should do more to help support the black people in your community. I’ve included some more links at the bottom for other resources, including places to donate (if you have the means) and petitions to sign. Again, this isn’t a complete list, as I’m sure you will be able to find a lot more floating around social media at the moment.

​At the end of the day, we all deserve basic human rights and no one deserves to die because of the colour of their skin. We all need to do better. We all need to change. Black Lives Matter.

Films to watch to improve your education on black culture, society and history:

Additional resources to help support the Black Lives Matter Movement

*Note: Any profit made from the Medium Partner Program on this article will be donated to the Black Lives Matter USA fund.

BlackLivesMatter
Black Film
George Floyd
White Privilege
Education

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Shelby Cooke

Written by Shelby Cooke

1 Follower

is a freelance culture and media writer. She has an MA in Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. Her portfolio is at uppergroundproduction.com

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