Made entirely of 16mm footage filmed by Swedish journalists between 1967-1975, Black Power Mixtape is their journey through the culture and figureheads of the Black Power Movement. Left in a basement until now, the footage is absolutely stunning and this is combined with a gorgeous soundtrack provided by Questlove of The Roots.
There are numerous documentaries about this period and the culture, but what makes Black Power Mixtape stand out is just how classy it is. In audio commentary throughout the film, we hear from artists and activists involved in or influenced by the movement. The lack of talking heads keeps you focused on the footage and provides subtle context without attempting to aggressively educate you. It’s an interesting way to feature contributors as it seems that they are commenting while watching the film, a perfect way to include a vast array of voices and views without being obtrusive to the pacing of the story.
Broken into yearly chapters, the story is obviously chronological and this keeps the pace fast. Luckily, it avoids being a fumbling European view of US culture, but the journalists’ intrigue and naivete makes the footage far more accessible, and also unique, as they explore different aspects and speakers more likely to be overlooked by the US media at the time. Featuring figures such as Bobby Seale, Eldridge Cleaver, and Stokely Carmichael, you get a sense of the enigmatic nature of the Movement’s leaders through their speeches, but also as people through footage filmed during their downtime. There is a particularly wonderful interview with Stokely Carmichael’s mother as Stokely takes over the role of interviewer as the Swedish journalists struggle. The range of footage with Angela Davis was by far the highlight of the film for me, and from her court case footage to the only interview in her cell, you get an all-encompassing view of an important figure in the movement who is often left out of similar films.
The subtlety of the film is its real strength and the enormous amount of footage from a multitude of approaches and view points makes Black Power Mixtape a joy to watch, while also being a very important cultural document. Add Questlove’s beautiful soundtrack into the mix and this a film that will have an extremely long life with an audience who will find a wonderful cinematic experience and, also, a great way to learn from a film that shows a different view into an important cultural period.
Just watched a Democracy Now interview with Danny Glover who is
co producer of this film. Who is the other producer. I’m curious
about how the film just happend to be found in a basement. Do they go into detail about that?
Got to have it.
Where do I buy it ?
The footage was found in the Swedish televisions archive basement
, restores from the time it was shot and showed, but has remained untouched until now. It was discovered thru the director Goran Hugo Olssons previous film (Am I Black Enough for you, doc about Billy Paul) as the topics related to each other, he found the archive footage but could it use it for Am I Black Enough For You so he decided to make this mixtape of it.
This sounds incredibly intriguing. Great title, would be intresting to see the audio over image dynamic.
Yes, I’m with Abenra, how do I get my hands on this?!?!?
Interview with the filmmaker coming up on The Documentary Blog Podcast’s special “Live From Sundance” episode.
This appears to be like an extremely rare treasure that has just been rediscovered. If the description provided by the author of this article is accurate , this film just might remind those who have forgotten and inform those who don’t know , that “the struggle” is not over.
II Timothy 3:1-5,7 “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
It is prophecy for the things that are happening to our youth to take place. We have to get closer to the Lord, stop living in sin and be reborn again. A young man by the name of Jesus Carmona , a Hispanic male, was trialed as an adult and sentenced to life in prison for killing and wounding another victim, Aaron Jackson, a black male, was sentenced to life in prison for supposedly shooting at an officer , he was only 14. Marcellus Casket pleaded guilty to 4th degree arson, him being a white man , and the building that he burned down being a black families home – he was only sentenced to 3 ½ in prison ? one of the children were seriously injured.
How do we stop this? We stop being “AMERICAN” and we go back to our roots, we go back to raising our own children without allowing the government to raise them. Stop letting the jail systems raise them, and the streets. Be teachers at home, teachers of good and of love. Teach our children to love his people and stand by his people, the other nations stick together, why can’t we? We always say things like, why does it have to be a race thing? That’s because it is a “race” thing – survival of the fittest, people mistaken toleration for acceptance. When can we open our eyes and realize that they still see us as the lower human being , hence minority , how are we minorities when there’s more “Blacks “and Hispanics than there are whites. – but hey that’s my opinion , what do I know ? =]
An absolute work of art. Great praises for the people that have made this presentation and disseminated it to the world. The people must know of the attrocities and evils that take place in The United States of Amereica and the efforts to overcome it and the efforts of the governing and judicial authorities that seek to conceal the evils that men and governments do to people. The struggle still continues in the U.S.to be free from state sanctioned evil. Police Brutality, unlawful and dishonest governmental conduct, discrimination, and human rights abuses still occur here with impunity.
Ankita Tiwari +917595811660 If you want to spend your time with a enjoyable,
elegant, hot and Sexy companion, then I am the perfect choice for you
https://www.ankitatiwari.in