Spike Lee’s Chiraq opens in limited theaters Friday, December 4th. After a 17-minute preview of Chiraq in Miami back in October, a couple of angry Black militants with an agenda chose to angrily lecture Spike about the film and the black community instead of engaging in a substantive conversation during the Q&A .
They were both escorted out by the ushers, mainly because they were not interested in a discussion, just interruption.
From what I could decipher the guy was upset that Spike Lee didn’t make the film they wanted. I’ve heard interviews with Spike Lee on crime in the black community, he clearly believes that this is a large issue with many different fathers. However, that is not the film he wanted to make. The film that these Black militants wanted to see would take 4 seasons of television to cover, even The Wire didn’t touch on that much content.
This, once again, reflects the problem I have with a lot of Black Militants. They choose to attack people who already agree with or support them and their message instead of going after the policy makers and people in power who are keeping the status quo.
Instead of lecturing “The Man” about his supposed “system of poverty” that encourages young black men to kill their brown and black neighbors, they go after Spike Lee after seeing a snippet of a satirical film meant to help raise awareness, not to magically solve all of the ills of the community.
These are the same type of activists who angrily type away on blogs instead of campaigning and voting for the local leaders who could actually affect the change they seek.
The one point that I’ll give them is that Spike Lee himself admonished Quentin Tarantino’s film Django Unchained without having seen it. But look at how he did it:
This was not an loud and angry Spike Lee showing up at a Tarantino Q&A to scream his disapproval about a film he hadn’t yet seen (I haven’t seen it either, for many of the same reasons that Spike Lee refuses too). He was asked about the film and specifically said he couldn’t speak on it because he had no plans of seeing it.
Look, obviously I lean more on the side of Spike in this debate…especially since I haven’t yet seen the film. As the only black filmmaker to be brave enough to consistently speak on race and the plights of the black community in his work since his debut over 25 years ago, I think he’s earned the benefit of the doubt.
Also, I don’t expect a single 90-minute film to represent or solve all of the problems in the black community. I’m hoping that it does, in some small way, accomplish its goal of at least raising more awareness through entertainment. The 2500 year old Greek play, Lysistrata, that the film is based on was a satire of The Peloponnesian War that lasted over 30 years with casualties estimated around 300,000.
Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing is considered one of the hallmark films about race in America told by a Black Filmmaker. Even that film is filled with comedy and never dives into the political, historical and systematic origins for the racial tensions in that Brooklyn community. However it nonetheless influenced a late 80s/early 90s pro-black movement.
To each his own. Its easier to attack Spike Lee. He’s a welcome target. He seems to love getting into arguments. I’d like to see more Black militants be as brave as Mercutio Southall Jr. who was assaulted at a Donald Trump rally.
But we won’t actually see them do that because, y’know, that would make too much sense.
Read the full essay written by one of the activists on their opinions about the film here: 40 Acres and a Fool
"I’d like to see more Black militants be as brave as Mercutio Southall Jr. who was assaulted at a Donald Trump rally."
Good point. Somewhat disappointed it will not be in more theaters though.
I definitely ride with Spike because he has been consistently telling our stories. He still is accomplishing that even now. The militant dude I am almost positive would not blink an eye on the subject of the black LGBT community. Especially, concerning the harassment and rejections that we receive from our own families and communities.
I'm tired of people blaming everyone else for their issues while underutilizing their own personal power. I agree that movies can help shed light on social issues, influence perceptions, and spark healthy discussions. But at the end of the day, movies are intended to entertain!! The onus shouldn't be on the entertainment industry to exact social change. The black militants should redirect their energy and mobilize against entities and processes that can actually make a difference.
Is it not expected for wider release in a few weeks? Typically, we get films released here n 2 wks later they're national. Im gonna check it out tomoro on my day off.
here's my thing my city Chicago has been f**ked up for a long time and facts are facts, what i can't stand is how black people our people, my people, continue to blame the white men for every single thing like seriously, yes white men are the reason for a lot of the issues we face today however, we need to take responsibility for the shyt we keep doing to ourselves, supporting rap music that continues to degrade us, promote killing and drug dealing and usage, etc. black on black crime (i know black lives matter hates this term) but again facts are f**king facts! i apologize for getting so pissed but i live in Chicago and i hate how numb we've become to the violence, i don't see nobody protesting when we kill each other but are quick to join forces when others do it to us, neither acts of killings are right but you see my point? also yes there are many groups in my city that are doing their best to end the violence and i am so proud of them because they aren't depending on the governor, government, or corrupt f**k ass mayor to help us. my thing with Spike is that i feel that he should have done more after the film was done like stay here for a while i am sure he could afford a hotel downtown and have discussion with various community members and leaders on the south side seriously. i'll remind myself to come back and comment my thoughts once i see Chi-Raq, i f**king hate that name I am from Chicago aka Chi-Town not Chi-Raq!
Chi-Town in da house!! Let us know your perspective on the movie.
The Black Lives Matter movement is different from black on black violence. It is like comparing apples to potatoes. There is a expected care of duty with the police. Another person on the street does not owe you anything. I do agree that we as a community need to do some self examination because we cannot expect others to value us if we do not.
I just realized that I was reading the post that I never watched that clip. See, with most people it would have been the other away around. I read these long articles. But, that was fire from Spike on the subject of Quentin's film. I love that and it reinforced some my principles that I had neglected trying to blend in with society. Damn, that was good!
Hollywood heavyweight Spike Lee says that he will boycott this year's Oscar awards because of a continued lack of racial diversity in the list of nominees.