“Origin”: Ava DuVernay’s Film Dramatizes “Caste,” from U.S. Racism to India’s Dalits to Nazi Germany
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.พ. 2024
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We speak with award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay about her latest feature film, Origin, which explores discrimination in the United States and beyond through a dramatization of the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson, whose process of writing the book is a central part of the film’s story. DuVernay, whose previous projects include Selma and 13th, says she was captivated by the ideas in the book after reading it in 2020 amid mass protests over the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “Isabel Wilkerson writes it in a beautiful way, but it is pretty dense material. And so my goal was to attach character into that so that there could be a deeper empathy,” DuVernay tells Democracy Now! The film follows Isabel Wilkerson in her pursuit of truth as she writes the book.
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Ava DuVernay is a genius. She was able to take an intellectual, nonfiction book and turn it into a fascinating, enlightening, outstanding movie. This has never been done before. As a writer and director, she is in a class all by herself!!
Amen!
Not really, they stole caste from Yvette Carnell & ADOS after our org started to refer to the Black Americans positioning here in our country as a bottom caste 8-10 years ago.
@@jtt1928You didn’t make up the word or the meaning behind it, first of all. Secondly, I’m glad to see people showcasing how racist they are online. Let’s see you be more honest in person as well so we know who to avoid.
I agree with your positive comments. This movie deserves an Oscar for Directing, casting, screenplay...I was so full of emotion watching it...🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 well done...
Amazing eye opening mind opening movie. A must watch
An extraordinary film, from an extraordinary filmmaker. I want this film to be shown in schools. It should be part of the high school curriculum .
It's an ideas film with a journey of discovery, but the beginning is slow and off-topic. It could have used some edits because if I hadn't been won over by the trailer and saw it cold, I'd have walked out in the first half hour.
For me, I know that Ms Duvernay is a fantastic film Director and so I trusted letting myself go into that suspension of disbelief that’s part of watching any film. You have to let yourself go along for the ride. Also, filmmakers and writers always consider the audience. So you might ask what audience was this made for? I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went to see the film. I thought it might possibly be more documentary like. So it was a nice surprise to see that it was set as a feature film.
Why do you say that? I don’t disagree. I’m just interested in knowing why you think that?
@@sandal_thong8631Just say the film went way over your head and let that be it. No need to be wordy. lol
@@catali033 No need to be nasty.
I have the book, "Caste", and can't wait to see the movie. Thank you Isabel Wilkerson and Ava DuVernay.❤️💯🔥
How's the Book?
@@MacchiatoSwirlGirl The book is a journey, in a way that dealt with injustices, and ask why? Are certain people put in a certain class or group. Due to a specific characteristic.
This is A FILM of staggering SIGNIFICANCE
AND IMPACT.
Deeply AFFECTING
and OSCAR WORTHY.
EVERYONE
SHOULD
SEE IT.
✨
Wilkerson, Duvernay, and Ellis-Taylor
ALL DESERVE A STANDING OVATION.
✨✨✨
I read Caste when it first came out and it was magnificent. Now it’s a film I am Blown away. This is A GREAT IDEA. It will do its good work in this troubled world. Thanks from my heart.✌️❤️✌️❤️✌️❤️✌️❤️✌️❤️✌️
This movie should have gave Ava DuVurnay a Best Director Oscar
I havent watched it but the premise is wrong. The caste system in India is a major pillar of the Hindu religion, which goes back around 4000 years long before they saw any Europeans. You can research any ancient culture from the Egyptians, to the Phoenicians, to ancient China and all of them had slavery and endless wars. All of the human rights came from Europe and even today in 2024 its only the western countries that have human rights protected with laws.
@@tubester4567 The book it's based on has 8 pillars of caste (I haven't read it but found out about this part). The first four are ones that are hard to change like the Hindu religion saying people deserve their station in life due to reincarnation from their past life. But the last four are malleable, like violence and threats of violence to keep people in their place.
@@tubester4567 I think that that only came about because of how bad it was within the Medieval time period. Democratic systems had to be put into place. Greece had started it, but Europe had no other choice but to open up their political systems (England with the creation of Parliament). Within a lot of African cultures, during even the late Egyptian dynastic period, there were checks and balances for having monarchial systems that kept things flexible. Back then, there weren't many empires which supposes that societies had the room then to develop inwardly, socio-political systems weren't as oriented towards amassing other lands or going on conquests but rather on interpersonal relationships. We still see that today, where countries like Senegal remain extremely stable because of the value placed on interpersonal relationships. Human relations are a priority in life. Human "technology" is where it's at. A mature society involves much more than just technological development. So, in conclusion, while I don't think democracy as a system existed back then in Antinquity, societies in many parts of Africa and even around the globe had the preambles already set in place for democracy as we know it because of how human life was extremely valuable. Drawing blood was highly unlikely, until the arrival of the empire expansion mentality, which proliferated in W. Africa during the muslim conquests. But while I do believe in that theory, however I could be wrong because there's just too much we don't know about African histories, particularly during Antquity. We only have Egyptian and Nubian accounts (as they were written down,) to go by but there were so many societies that were very successful, of which we only have verbal accounts but again there's so much we don't know, and those accounts could be mythologized as far as I understand how stories get passed down.
@@kmal16 Dude you are very misinformed. The history of the whole world is brutal and violent. No culture is immune . Native tribes were as brutal as anyone, and sometimes more so with cannibalism, and natives of the Americas who did child sacrifice.
THe thing is for most of history people were illiterate and didnt know any better.
Today in 2024 I we have education, science and human rights, We know better.
@@tubester4567I know
Wow, the trailer gave me chills. We need to recognize hate, violence, and racism are the same and need to be confronted head on.
I too was enchanted by the trailer, and wanted to see if she could prove that white lady wrong, who said her thesis was flawed. The big idea is that caste is behind racism, not just "stranger danger" or bad upbringing, with people intent on seeing that people remain in their station.
I think that caste was also behind the overwhelming violent crackdown on "Water Protectors" protests that Amy reported on and got roughed-up covering here. It wasn't just fear and hatred of Native Americans, it was a furious desire to keep them in their place: "Sit down and shut up."
We should start with not labeling everyone who doesn't share woke ideology.
@@marwar819”Woke ideology” aka another way to say “I’m racist, bigoted and xenophobic”. You don’t even know what woke actually means.
I saw it yesterday, and it is truly amazing in every way possible. The portions that take place in India feel like a kind of elevated blend of documentary and biopic filmmaking that I've never seen before. The story is moving and emotional (I was a sobbing mess through much ot if) and the message comes through very clearly. I can only hope more people go to see it!
I really like the idea of the film having the writer taking the audience on two journeys (geographical and intellectual) that led to the book.
Raoul Peck’s documentary was also an eye opener for me, even the Irish got a mention, I really feel now is the time for solidarity among the oppressed of the world, whether you’re black First Nations , Jewish, Muslim, Arab Irish, Asian we all need to stand together in solidarity to fight back against the dreadful malevolence of white supremacism and challenge the racist colonialist mindset. There’s no other way but mass resistance, if we’re ever going to end the terrible suffering and create a more equitable and just world for future generations.
add PALESTINIANS to the list....!!
🕊Very well stated. Agree 100% 🕊🤝🕊
@@yiannimil1 We are all Palestinians! ❤️ 🇵🇸
I absolutely agree 💯🙏
Decolonization 🦅 un programming socially conditioning norms. Creation a different reality. The system that came from Europe have always been corrupt flawed.
"thats our offering and thats our hope" Thank you Ava DuVernay for the most important use of cinema I have seen of recent...
My name is Alia Mohammed Jaludi
I live in New Jersey. My roots are Jordanian and Palestinian.
I need to thank you for your voice and your great knowledge for being brave to speak the truth through oceans of hard work, pure dedication and wisdom.
Speaking the truth no matter the cost is not easy and you handled this with grace and great dignity.
I praise your courage and your love for life and justice.
You have helped me to be able to cope better and with insight from a person who knows very well the other side when it comes to the truth about Palestine.
In my eyes you are soldier of truth and of moral high ground,brave to stand tall even though evil and blind,stone diseased hearts that attack with falsehood and plain arrogance matched with ignorance.
May you be blessed and protected with the righteous path.
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ ٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًۭا فَٱللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن تَلْوُۥٓا۟ أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۭا ١٣٥
O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for Allah even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, Allah is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺. If you distort the testimony or refuse to give it, then ˹know that˺ Allah is certainly All-Aware of what you do.
Your sister,
Alia
Absolutely beautiful❤
This book and film has reignited my passion for non-fictional historic literature!
Says a Jamaican girl 😊🇯🇲 📖…
I will be reading and watching.
Thank you very much for the interview, I read the book , it is translated in Portuguese, and gave it to a highschool student on the bus, this black teen was on my bus to elementary school where I teach here in Southern Brasil - it was very early in the morning - he was reading a Bell Hook 's book! I am so happy the film may come to Brasil . Thank you !
What a kind and deeply insightful thing to do! And that kid has good taste as well!
Origin is a film that reaches the core of who you are, and determines if your heart is beating properly. One of the best films I’ve ever seen. Ava may not get the recognition she deserves from Hollyweird big-wigs, but that’s ok. The film speaks for itself, and the effect it has had on so many already is undeniable.
The most important film, based on the most important books of the 21st century. Can't wait to see it! Thank you for this wonderful segment.
Wonderful interview! Very Insightful! Caste is a book that taught me more than 14 years of school ever did!
One of the most profound writings I’ve read. A major milestone in my own journey to liberate my mind. Will be seeing Origin. ❤
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼Ms. DuVernay, thank you for sharing humanity of a people. We must continue to see and feel each others true compassion for each other.💕❤️
I really look forward to see Origin…..
Good luck. It just came and went at my local theater. Fortunately, I saw the trailer and went to it in time. The opening half an hour is boring though.
This is Ava DuVernay's best work to date! The last clip in this interview gives us a glimpse into taboo thoughts we want to admit to acknowledge they even exist. It's the conformation one is not delusional and you did hear what you heard. I appreciated the fillmmaker showing the process of the Author, Isabel Wilkerson (played by Aunjanue Ellis - Tayor) reaction to the woman's statement. The table talk is a dissertation of it's own! This film and Aunjanue is a great marriage for the work she has been doing in Mississippi! I believe the angle Ava took with this film begins the disruption process of how the world starting with America will change the narrative, discussion on race and its true identity of the caste system. This film is the response to statements many hold today in the last clip said by the German woman. The thesis of the author and film is the articulation of what holds true - caste is the common denominator. Race is a segment. The isolation. The Control extended yet expanded.
I have seen "Origin" twice and what a brilliant body of work and historical truth telling. Isabelle Wilkerson and Eva Duvernay are truly gifted. The cast of actors are amazing...this movie should be widely distributed and seen now by the masses globally. It's definitely done in a timely fashion at this critical and challenging time we live in with book banning and attempts to erase history and prevent teaching it!
Going to see it on Sunday, thank you !
where can you see it.
It’s in your local theaters though. It is not playing everywhere. It’s very limited.
Saw your news hour this morning and I liked this interview very much. You always have a great show. TY
Remarkable and fascinating interview.❤
Awesome, I’m definitely going to check this film out.
Thank you for the wonderful interview. Hoping this movie is shown at a cinema near me soon!
I look forward to seeing this film and all the best to Ava & the cast for this Oscar season.
I had no idea about this movie or its basis. Caste is in my top 5 books. It was beyond informative and opened up so many different perspectives in my mind. I think it should be required reading in high school. IMO Wilkerson is our modern day Baldwin of journalism.
I've felt there was something more to racism than "stranger danger," "the other," bad upbringing and so forth. She says it's caste, which makes sense why people can be so enraged and motivated to act to keep people in their place.
I’m seeing this film tonight. Getting this insight into it now has me more intrigued for how it will play out in its entirety.
Saw this movie this past weekend and MY GOD! So impactful and must be seen. So timely for this moment in history
She went to my high school! So exciting! I was also born in Alabama in 1965! she is so amazing! Thank you for this!
I loved the scene in the movie about the woman whose parents named her Miss, who had a principal or teacher that was so enraged that he might have to call a Black girl "Miss" that he didn't believe that was her name and called the office for her records.
Thank you so very much ❤
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼Ms. Wilkerson thank you for your message of humanity. Your spiritual journey has given more insight to the humanity of us all.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💕❤
I am just hearing about the movie and the book. I just bought the book and adding to my queue. I am excited to read and see how she connects everything!
I have read about Zoroastrians, Palestinians, Wolastoqey Nation, Wet’suwet’en First Nation, Neanderthals, overall early human history etc etc.
One of my observations is: humans are on one of two paths: either we are on the path to extinction or we luck out and live long enough to evolve into something else.
Thank you for the interview! 🧡🧡🧡
Ava is a visionary. She took the research documented in the book and made it possible for us to actually see that racism does and has existed for centuries all over the world. Ño matter what country you travel to you will experience the reality that people need to be better than other people. This system of caste appears to categorize the racism by skin color, religion, financial status, bloodlines, gender, etc. This is a must watch movie. Now I want to read the book. I tried posting interviews of Ava and Aunjanue on my timelime 3 times on Facebook to encourage people to go see, but the Mark Z people choose what they want circulated. Hmm...
Find the movie because there are few options. I plan to buy it when it is available. Great job Ms. DuVernay on making this movie and given this important role to the amazing Aunjanue.
This movie is the biggest exposé of brmahins (oppressor caste) in India ever on the world platform.. salute to eva🔥
I saw the film last weekend. It was brilliant.
excellent interview . This movie has the making of a Masterpiece & I hop people go & watch it .
I'm also looking forward to Sis. Ava's doc on suffering of Gaza once its over. 😔
Luv and appreciate her, to enlighten us, and make us proud...
Great interview!
Such a powerful film!!! More theaters need to be showing it.
What a wonderful and intellectually curious filmmaker Ava Duvernay is. Seeking to alway provide a sense of poignancy and humanity in her work to challenge the polemical issues of race in her day. I believe she will be recognise as a important filmmaker. I can't wait to see the movie.
Caste is deeper than Race. Race can be wiped or cheated but not caste....
Congratulations Ava Duvernay mam, and Isabel Wilkerson's mam, for your achievement "Origin". and social justice for equality. Jai Bheem, 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Thanks for taking about this movie
The documentary 13th features a lot of Democracy Now. Should have won the Oscar instead of OJ Made In America and Swim Team should have took the place of OJ or The Eagle Huntress
Thank you; definitely going to check it out.
Just from the trailer, this looks to be a powerful work. These are hard things to face in our society, but we need to understand and stop the othering and hate.
You're right about this coming out at a crucial time, a message for this moment.
Damn what wonderful clips from a Wonderful Movie.
Oh! Speaking of empty shelves! Thanks to Republican state Governor of Floriduh, Ron The Con DeSantis, classrooms in the schools have empty bookshelves!!! Teachers have been saying that the classrooms feel cold because of the empty bookshelves!!!
I’m 72 years old and back in the 1960s I was already reading at adult level. I was a science geek! Astronomy was my most favorite topic, also books on EVOLUTION!!!!!!! Also, we did not have empty bookshelves in our classrooms! Back then, we were talking about going to the moon! Oh! All the red MAGA hats out there now all believe that the moon missions were fake and the earth is flat!
America’s Republican Party has become a Fascist Party!!!!! We even have book banning and burnings!!!
It has been said that history repeats itself. Actually…….
HISTORY RHYMES!!!!!!!
💀 😂😂😂
TERRORIST!
I've known for decades that Every Group & Sub Group has it's Own Hierarchy (caste system) but could never connect the dots.
I've always said that
I'm Not a Racist but .....
I'm Definitely a Classist.
Thanks to Ava, DN and Everyone involved in defining The Conversation. 💕
@@paddyholly2184 Being a classist is just as bad! Study some past history of some of our scientists. Michael Faraday a scientist who experimented with electromagnetism. He came from a poor family in a ghetto. Then there was Eric Fraunhofer who did extensive research in the absorption lines in the suns spectrum. He came from a poor family. He tragically died at a young age due to exposure to toxic chemicals in the process of making optical glass. You need to watch the 13 episodes of COSMOS II a Spacetime Odyssey by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Learn some history! Professional scientists do not make as much money as the ignorant and superstitious right wing Christian Fundamentalist preachers! Yeah! The ignorant and superstitious are getting super rich while making the rules and destroying education in America!!!!! Do some more research! Being classist is every bit as bad as being racist!!!
@24:30 the dinner party discussion was really compelling. And what white supremacy or those who consider themselves above others, be it race, religion, economics, etc; fails to see in the topic of Caste. You can either kill them quickly or slowly. But the end results of dehumanization and eradication are the same. This is why throwing the Holocaust in our faces fails because the true lesson is lost. One can see that in the current events in Gaza and all of Palestine.
I'd heard the phase as a kid, "Never forget, never again," which is often brought up on Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27. But as an adult, I learned it was only for the Jews, not Gypsies/Romani, Cambodians, Bosnian Muslims, Tutsi Rwandans, and Rohingya Burmese/Myanma.
I read the book in 2 days and the bibliography is a master class. This trailer made me cry. I'm so excited to watch!! 🔥🖤
Excellent
Interview
Dalits are still treated as untouchables. I found out about them through an Indian friend who was married to a white guy. I remember her saying her parents are very conservative and they don’t like her marrying outside her religion but they prefer someone of a different race over a dalit guy. I researched about them and was shocked by how they are treated especially in Bihar India.
Source: Trust Me Bro
In a country of 1.4 billion people there is always few incidents that take place but Indian Constitution outlaws Caste Discrimination by SC/ST Act and Article 14
Remarkable interview. Thank you. Best wishes.
White libs and conservatives alike resist the racial caste argument...I'm a huge fan of the book and look forward to seeing this film!
I’ve seen it in the theater twice and look forward to when it’s online. It’s so inspiring… one more example of how we all need each other!
Wow, looking forward to seeing this very soon.
Excellent interview!
Ava does amazing work
Shes a gift
Ava.. love her movies. I would love to think that you are able to write one on the suffering of the Palestinian
Isabel Wilkerson and Ava Duvernay are African American women helping to move the world forward.
I am soooooo hyped!!!!!!!
I love Ava and I am mad she was snubbed by the Oscars. We all need to go see her movie asap to prove them wrong. This movie is EPIC!
I can’t wait to see this film, AD always seems to capture humanity in all of its complexities!
Such a provocative film, resonating. Imperative all for ALL AMERICANS to see. I learned soooo much! I've been posting the trailer, this interview and quotes (FBk) urging others to see/experience it--BRAVO
Very very interesting movie that I can't wait to see.
❤ Love your stories ❤
They forgot about Nazi Israel.
There could be a separate film about this and probably will be and if it's brutally honest it will be banned in Israel, the US etc.
Yeah I don’t think I could watch the film because I can’t feel any sympathy for Israel right now or maybe ever.
@@michelleamatulle6378 Taken in the broader context, there's a world-wide far-right movement underway that uses fascist tactics for authoritarians to come to power. This is currently happening in Florida, as well as Hungary, Belarus, and Israel. If another government was in power in Israel, they might have been on-guard for the October 7th attack, just as the far-right American regime didn't bother acting on intelligence that Bin Laden was intent on attacking the U.S. by using airplanes, but a Gore government might have taken preventative action.
Dictators and would-be dictators are beset by corruption and incompetence, despite people thinking they can be more decisive than a democracy, republic or federation that requires a majority or super-majority consensus.
It was made before October 7th, hence….
@@michelleamatulle6378I know how you feel because I feel it too. But that’s the contradiction we must deal with. What happened to the Jews is real & what’s happening right now to Palestinians is also real. Yet not all Jews are doing this to the Palestinians. Israelis are, & specifically the Israeli govt. What’s happening to the Palestinians in Gaza & the West Bank might very well lead to it having been another holocaust. The way they’re being treated is very similar. Some of the victims are now perpetrators of a probable genocide. And that’s hard to grapple. But in the end, if we can have sympathy for Palestinians now, then we should be able to have sympathy for the Jews that suffered back then. The way that Germany has chosen to atone for what it did, is wrongheaded. Some of it is great though. The monument to the book burnings is one of those great things. But adhering themselves so strongly to the Israeli state, is not. Hopefully they’ll come to realize that before they end up being complicit in another genocide; whether the ICJ ends up deeming it as that or not. For in the eyes of most, that’s exactly what it is.
On which platform this movie ( origin) is available?
Just watched it. The best movie of the year by far. Stunned that this movie didn't dominate the oscars.
Awesome!!!! Awesome!!!!! and Awesome!!!!. Welled casted, welled produced, welled scripted and welled done.
Why am I just seeing this trailer… I didn’t know it was in theaters already! I am usually informed about these things. So disappointing that it hasn’t been advertised and pushed. But I’m also not surprised. I’m so happy that Ms. Ellis Taylor is in this movie! I love her… I shall see this movie ASAP. With my kids of course.
its an amazing film and was able to catch it a few days ago but had trouble finding it so it may not be in theaters for much longer
I was left so emotionally and mentally stimulated to implore the many I know that would be moved by this Great Movie. Yes, it is essential to reignite the conversation of Democracy on a whole new level and way of thinking. 🤔
This is why the planet melts.
A master mind visionary indeed..! 🙏🙏🙏💚🌺🥺
13th was awesome ✨
this masterpiece will be with us for a very long time. It does ignite imagination, thoughts, and hope in humanity.
Interesting how main stream media and Hollywood and Netflix kicks this aside, caste in motion.
Ava DuVernay:
PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!
DO A DOCUMENTARY ON:
"HISTORY OF THE MOORISH EMPIRE IN EUROPE." BY:
S. P. SCOTT.
UNITED STATES REFUSES TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE. AND ARE HERE IN AMERICA.
Great book, and they did a great job with the movie--tough feat to pull off. Must read and watch.
"Assigned to the lower class..."???!!! You are born into the Indian Cast system!!
I can't wait for it to hit aussie shores🥰🥰Stan Walkers song made me want to see this so badly❤️🖤
I am reading Caste and heard this interview when first aired. I haven’t seen film yet however I plan too as soon as possible. The book CASTE should be required reading for everyone, Americans have had so much whitewashing added to our history we don’t know what really happened! This book emanates truth
great movie. equal parts inspiring and heartbreaking
Caste system is the reason for India's poverty .
And Vivek’s success 🤨
They have have built in elite and slave class 👎
reason for poverty in all countries includin amerikkka
Is it? India is better developed than many developing countries with no caste system.
@@smrvbpt That's about as accurate as saying the U.S. economy is doing great, when the stats are based on Wall Street hedge fund trading, while the cost of living goes up, and wages are stagnant or dropping for the majority.
Let's gooooo
She's an absolute work of art and an amazing and tremendously beautiful woman
Looks Exquisite!!! ❤❤❤❤
This is very important to start with Trayvon, the levels of the caste and the lies that needs to be told to uphold it.
Watching the trailer, the line "You're thesis is flawed" sold me on seeing this film. I learned it was a 2023 film which showed up at my local theater in January without much publicity. (Did it even have a poster?) I also saw that its last day was this past Wednesday so saw it on Tuesday. This report is a couple days too late, like one the local evening news did about a travelling art exhibit on its last day at the museum. Maybe other towns will have this movie?
As to the beginning, I was intrigued with the young man in peril. I don't remember hearing his girlfriend on the phone calling him Trayvon. Then the movie cuts away from him and gets boring for 10 minutes or more. I was thinking about leaving since it looked like another Black movie that wasn't what it was advertised to be. _American Fiction_ was advertised as a comedy, but turned into a family tragedy. I liked _The Book of Clarence,_ despite it putting off some people by turning its tone from a comedy to a redemption movie. Since I was the only one in the theater I basically just used my phone for the 10 minutes or so until the movie got back on track.
It was a "voyage of discovery" movie with a great idea. I guess the book's "8 pillars of caste" were written on the dry-erase board at the end. And to answer what someone asked me, by the end I was glad to see it.
I'd agree that the word "racism" is so overused as to lose meaning on what to do about racial injustice. For instance, was it racist suffragettes who put the Black suffragette's in the back of the march? Or did they do it to convince others who might be racist that they weren't a threat, or was it caste? Then instead of making sure all women had the right to vote, (which they promised the Black women they'd help them next), they focused their attention on promoting the E.R.A. which still hasn't passed. That sounds like caste. Same with a strike some years ago at an airline where the white ticket agents, flight attendants and pilots didn't want to support "baggage mishandlers," who were Black. Was that racism, class or caste? And someone brought up that treatment of different complexions of Blacks within the community, might not just be racism or influenced by the white majority's standards of beauty, but could it be caste?
This show dealt and deals with Water Protectors. Why authorities would get so upset and violent against Native Americans exercising their free speech and assembly rights, as well as members of the press covering them left me wondering. But caste could explain it. Native Americans apparently belong in a certain low caste in society where they should be neither seen nor heard: "Sit down and shut up."
I would really like to see this movie..
It should be at your local theatre. I'm going to see on it Sunday.
A deeper inquiry into Racism and Caste leads us to what do we think our Self is? What do we identify as Self and not Self?
Is our self separate ultimately at all or is this a persistent illusion?
The discussion of whose suffering and loss is greater regarding the Holocaust vs. The Transatlantic Slave Trade rages on. The very notion that Jewish lives are considered more valuable or more important than Black lives only fuels the fires of racism against all marginalized people. In fact, it speaks to those Jewish lives having been intellectual and artistic vs. Black lives having been exploited and murdered over free manual labor, therefore no great loss to humanity, is another deeper, more incidious layer of racism and caste. The fact that 1,200 lives, mostly Jewish, tragically lost October 7th and 240 kidnapped vs. 35,000 plus Palestinian lives lost along with infrastructure being seen as "justification" despite years of occupation and other indignities boils down to the same ideology that some lives are more valuable than others.
It is heartbreaking to see and know that despite everything at our disposal, these injustices persist in full view of the world.
Next should be Medical Apartheid written by Harriet Washington.
At 5:24 Is central to the understanding Israel's war on Palestinians, today.
Ms DuVernay is breathtakingly beautiful. My goodness. Mmm mm m, just stunning.
[Edit: in additional to her intelligence, insight, and strength of character, of course....]
Great MOVIE
When this woman, Ava, does something agreeable, I promise to take a pick.
I wonder did the book reference Brazil and other Latin countries... I need to get the book and see the film/movie.