Mentioned previously the topic chosen is People of Color in American Television/Film. I’ve discussed previously why agency, inclusion and opportunity are often better options for POC in the film industry. Diversity can sometimes lead to tokenism or trend to stay momentarily. In this curation I’ve listed explores this concept.
Be Kind Rewind discuss the underrepresentation of Black women in film and the lack of variety of roles available to Black women. Ultimately covering why Halle Berry’s Oscar win is so monumental and significant and how in today’s landscape #OscarsSoWhite matters.
“to speak the names of women who laid the path before her and the nameless, faceless names of black women she felt now had a chance” -Be Kind Rewind
People often tend to forget that not only do people of color need to be in front of the camera but also in the various jobs behind and within the industry, this includes journalists and film critics. these voices and opinions on film matter as the perspective can be enlightening or provoking in order to decide to see a film.
Asian Americans in film is often always one of outdated stereotype. In the recent Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Bruce Lee is depicted in a egotistical way far from reality.
“While I understand that the mechanism in the story is to make Brad Pitt’s character out to be such a badass that he can beat up Bruce Lee, the script treatment of my father as this arrogant, egotistical punching bag was really disheartening — and, I feel, unnecessary.”-Shannon Lee
Agency given to POC to tell their own stories often provide more opportunity for diverse storytelling about people so underrepresented. However typically we see in films like The Help( 2011) or more recently Greenbook (2018) become oscar bait due to their “white savior complex” rather than telling stories about racial dynamics in america.
No matter how black or multicultural a film is in its content, filmmakers would have us believe that white characters are the best vehicles for the story”-Manny Fidel
