5 Powerful Films On Racial Injustice To Watch Now

Following the unlawful murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis state police department, people continue to protest to express outrage against the mistreatment of people of color lasting for more than several hundreds of years. The Black Lives Matter movement is calling for people all around the world to educate themselves about discrimination the black community suffers from on a daily basis. We've rounded up a list of award-winning films that touch on racial injustice and address the plight of African Americans in the United States and beyond.

P.S: For more in depth knowledge on systematic racism and its many facets, be sure to check out the many ressources avaible online.

By Amrita Singh

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13th

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States in this film which focuses on the fact that the nation's prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans. One third of America’s prisons are filled with black people and DuVernay deeply investigates the damaging effects of the for-profit prison system on black communities and the relationship between race and justice in this contemporary extension of slavery. 13th is available to view on Netflix.

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The Color Purple

The Color Purple stars the likes of Whoopie Goldberg and Oprah and is a film based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Alice Walker. Steven Spielberg translated the book into a movie 35 years ago, but it is one that is still spoken about today. The Color Purple is a depiction of the coming-of-age story of a young African American girl, Celie, who is growing up in a rural small town in the early 1900s and highlights the unfair treatment of herself and a large number of black women happen to face including poverty, sexism, violence, abuse and racism. The moving, yet empowering tale was nominated for 11 Oscars and went on to win a Golden Globe. Enjoy this masterpiece here.

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12 Years A Slave

America’s history of slavery is one that is well known, but the realities of slavery were never quite documented quite the way 12 Years A Slave has captured history. The heart wrenching story takes a closer look at the way in which millions of African Americans suffered abuse at the hands of slave and plantation owners in the 1850’s. The narrative follows the life of a black man who is kidnapped and then sold into slavery for 12 years.

Based on a real-life memoir, 12 Years A Slave won three Academy Awards, a Golden Globe for Best Drama, and a BAFTA Award for Best Film for its harrowing portrayal of the brutality that African Americans faced back then, and how they are still treated today. Watch it here.

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Get Out

Get Out is not only a thrilling horror film – but also an approach to addressing casual racism. Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, Get Out, is a fictional social commentary on prejudice and race relations. The story unfolds when Chris is invited to visit his white girlfriend’s home and family in a suburban town for the first time. Whilst there, he discovers a terrifying secret about the neighborhood. Enjoy this must-watch contemporary piece of cinematic art here.

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Hidden Figures

Until very recently, it was a little known fact that there were three extremely influential African American female mathematicians who worked for NASA in the 60’s – hence the title Hidden Figures. The film, which stars Octavia Spencer, Taraji P Henson and Janelle Monae, highlights the vital roles of the three women at NASA, in successfully sending the first American astronaut into orbit and securing a spot in the Space Race. Watch it here.

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Music, Film & Television

5 Powerful Films On Racial Injustice To Watch Now

13th

The Color Purple

12 Years A Slave

Get Out

Hidden Figures

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