by
BGLH
We’re all excited to see black women getting their well-deserved time on the silver screen. The 12 upcoming films with black women in leading roles is perhaps an indication that the tide is shifting in the film industry to be more representative of the black experience.
The upcoming film Hidden Figures , about black woman mathematicians at NASA whose calculations were critical to the success of the first orbital mission, has been on the lips of many, but not because of its stellar casting of amazingly talented black women. Both the director (Ted Melfie) and screenplay writer (Allison Schroeder) are white with very little experience. Schroeder’s only previous film writing experience is the direct-to-video movie Mean Girls 2. Because of this, some feel the film will not be told with in a way that displays the fullness and complexity of the black woman leads.
MTV writer @dstfelix shared her significant other’s poignant commentary on the matter.
https://twitter.com/dstfelix/status/734442037899055105
Intensifying concerns is the fact that in a recent interview with The New York Times, lead actress Taraji P. Henson pointed out that she did not want Hidden Figures to be labeled a “black film” (despite the fact that it is supposed to center on the experiences of black women).
“I hate when I do a film, and it has a lot of African-Americans and they call it a black film,” Ms. Henson said. “I don’t wake up and go, ‘Let’s see, this weekend, I’m going to see a Chinese film, I’m going see a black film, no I’m going see a white film with a black person in it.’ Who does that?”
Octavia Spencer echoed Henson’s remarks by stating that labeling Hidden Figures a “black film” would turn off audiences and dismiss the work of the white female mathematicians who also worked at NASA.
The dialogue around the labeling of black film has been around for decades and is very sensitive. The question remains; by rejecting the idea of a film being “black” are you rejecting your core audience?
8 Responses
This movie is total bullshit, why have we never heard of this before… bulllllllllllshiittttttt
Yawn. Another “Redtails” type movie. 10% fact, 90% made up. 100% racebaiting the white man is evil movie.
Red Alert: Small penis in the building.
Well, I don’t know how the movie will turn out. I hope it is good because I am excited for this story to be told. We could be surprised at the turnout of it. I think that when she said she didn’t want it to be labeled a “black film”, she was probably thinking of stereotypical black movies or even something like Empire. Maybe she just didn’t want people to be turned off by that term, but then it is still a movie about black women nevertheless. She is just trying to avoid people’s preconceived notions that go along with black films. It may be a problem for people to be turned off by the mention of “black film”, but if we want to change it we must start from somewhere by changing what the majority feel represents a black film.
To be real, is there a situation where people wouldn’t be outraged? If the called it a black film, people would be pissed that we’re treated as a niche specialty, different from ‘normal’ people. Can’t we last wait until we see the film to be pissed at it? Also, who gives a shit where the director lives? That’s personal.
I think my feelings would be different if the movie was actually released turned out to be bad. But right now, it’s just sad that people can’t see a film with a black cast without desperately searching for something to be wrong with it.
It’s the simple fact that white mediocrity is celebrated in hollywood. And this goes beyond the “race” of their projects, mediocre white men have been helping each other out and giving each other underserved opportunities for years, and that includes the actors too. It’s the boys club
I have to agree with Kirk Moore with not devalualing your core audience, but this also speaks to needing the core audience to come through when you need the support, and unfortunately, the black dollars are not always there. And I also get where the actresses are coming from. “Black film” has a negative connotation to it, that maybe where the issue lies. If someone wants to see an Asian or white film–that can go either way. I think more incredible “black films” need to me made to showcase that this does not negate the quality of the product. We have a lot of work to do on both ends.
I am tired of this conversation. I seriously am. And I am over the constant outrage. Bye!