By: Malasha Parker
Photo By Fathom Film Group
An introspective look into the lasting effects of living, caring and just being black, the film #WhileBlack delivers a heavy watch about the viral videos that sparked global movements and how being the one to share those stories comes with a cost. This documentary feature is a call to action. It brings forward the stories of Diamond Reynolds and Darnella Fraizer as they are still trying to navigate and deal with the aftermath of the horrific events that they witnessed. It’s more than surface level knowledge, but about what really happens to the people after their videos take on a life of their own.
#WhileBlack immediately opens with devastating recordings of Philando Castille’s murder. Diamond Reynolds retells the events of the day her boyfriend was shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer. She speaks about it clearly and as consistently as always. The documentary then moves to the retelling of what Darnella Frazier can recount from the day she filmed George Floyd’s murder on the streets of Minneapolis. She was only seventeen-years-old at the time and has since had life-changing events occur. The documentary takes us through the aftermath of these murders. Diamond discusses her exclusion from events and how people on the internet reacted to her posting the crime in real time. The film takes viewers through the saddening ins and outs of how Darnella has had to navigate life since releasing the footage of Geroge Floyd. It also shows how Diamond has continued living, but still has to see and hear discouraging comments about how she handled her situation. Later in the film groups such as Agape Movement and Freedom Fighters discuss how they helped to protect Darnella, protestors and their communities while everything unfolded in Minneapolis. They discuss how agitators come from outside of the area to cause uproar and sway the media away from the real issues. This then makes it harder for people like Darnella to live normally. Darnella mentions that this event cost her her childhood because of how she had to relocate because of death threats and more. The documentary brings together knowledge through the journalists and activists working to correct the systems.
The beautiful thing about this documentary is its ability to focus on the women’s point of view and the different situations they have been through over the years since these tragic events occurred. Black women are often burdened with so much that they are removed from stories about oppression. They are expected to only be strong and only behave a certain way that won’t ruffle the feathers of others. Hearing Diamond say she was always excluded from events that sought to bring justice to Philando’s murders because she had no legal ties to him was heartbreaking. Without her use of Facebook Live people would never know of Castille’s story. Darnella didn’t post the George Floyd because she wanted clout, she posted it because she was encouraged to by others and because she didn’t want lies about what happened to him on that day to be spread. Co-directors Sidney Fussell and Jennifer Holness really acknowledge and give genuine perspectives to both Reynolds and Frazier. They make their subjects seem comfortable enough to really realize that just because awards and other acknowledgments have been given to them, they have forever been changed by these events.
People often get exhausted with the constant demand and activism for black lives, but they often don’t understand the kind of toll it takes on black people. When incidents like these happen, so much comes out of it. Protests begin to take place, shirts are made with hashtags and last words from the victims, murals are painted on buildings and even include mentions and reenact these brutal crimes in movies and television shows, but that doesn’t often bring comfort to the families and people that experienced these incidents firsthand. Darnella says, “Art is more dark feeling than brightness to me.” Hearing how Darnella and Diamond’s feelings on this subject makes one gain a different perspective and introspect what is the best way to fight for justice. Often companies receive earnings from these incidents being circulated on their platforms. The question of how these earnings and videos should be handled afterwards comes into play and it’s an interesting aspect to think about.
#WhileBlack isn’t just another documentary reporting on unimaginable events. It’s a film asking for those who believe in true justice to get smarter about the way we collect and protect what is ours and preserve the history that many are trying to destroy. While it can sometimes become exhausting to have to deal with such injustice happening daily, #WhileBlack provides a delicate way to show that there is more than one way to be of service. This is a must watch film especially in the political climate that the world is in today.