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This Is (Not) Who We Are

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Catalogue Number:  TVP123
Producer:  Video Project, Inc.
Producers:  Miller, Katrina
Directors:  Strong, Beret E.
Producing Agencies:  Landlocked Films and Blackat Video Productions
Subject:  American History, Black History, Canadian World Studies, Civics, Criminal Justice & Law, Current Events, Diversity, Documentary, History, Social Issues, Social Sciences
Language:  English
Grade Level:  9 - 12, Post Secondary, Adult
Country Of Origin:  United States
Copyright Year:  2022
Running Time:  76:50


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This Is [Not] Who We Are explores the gap between Boulder, Colorado's progressive self-image and the lived experiences of its small but resilient Black community. Boulder is emblematic of predominantly white communities that profess an inclusive ethic but live in a segregated reality. The film explores the intersecting issues of land use, affordability, racial and class-based segregation, youth issues, education, and policing, which combine to reveal deeply entrenched, if not entirely intended, structural inequalities that have reverberated through multiple generations.

University student Zayd Atkinson was cleaning up the grounds of his dorm— duties of his work-study job— when he was threatened by eight police officers with guns drawn. He lived to tell the story that many Black men often do not survive. As the riveting body-cam footage of this encounter went viral, Atkinson's story sparked a reckoning for this progressive town as the implicit biases of its institutions and the continuation of its broader history were laid bare.
Although Black people have continuously lived in Boulder for nearly 150 years, their history has been largely marginalized. Black families faced discrimination in various fields throughout Boulder, and by the 1920s the city became a rallying point for the Ku Klux Klan. Although the particulars of Boulder's history are unique, its social trajectory into the 21st century is representative of many other cities across the US that struggle to reconcile their liberal policies with the reality of their communities.
By sharing the voices of Boulder's Black community, with those featured ranging in age from 12 to 78, the film shows how deeply the roots of institutional racism are embedded and opens a pathway for dialogue, insight, and positive change. Some stories are searing while others are hopeful. 
** Streaming Rights Not Available for Post Secondary Institutions **

 

WINNER
Boulder International Film Festival, People's Choice Award
Boston International Film Festival, Indie Spec Special Recognition Award
Indianapolis Black Documentary Film Festival, Best Feature Documentary
Hamilton Black Film Festival, Best Feature Documentary
Baltimore International Black Film Festival, Best Feature Documentary
Berlin Indie Film Festival, Best Editing
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Toronto International Women Film Festival
Boulder International Film Festival
Film Girl Film Festival
Oxford Film Festival
DocuWest Film Festival
Rhode Island Black Film Festival
Boston International Film Festival
NorthwestFest International Documentary Film Festival
Hamilton Black Film Festival
Richmond International Film Festival
National Black Film Festival
Women of African Descent Film Festival
Charlotte Black Film Festival
Indianapolis Black Documentary Film Festival
Freedom Festival International
Royal Star Film Festival
Crested Butte Film Festival
Morehouse College Human Rights Festival
Detroit Black Film Festival
Imagine This Women's International Film Festival
Baltimore International Black Film Festival
Portland Film Festival
Festival International du Film Panafrican de Cannes
DocUtah International Documentary Film Festival
Denver Film Festival
St Louis International Film Festival
River's Edge International Film Festival
Shockfest
Djarfogo International Film Festival
African Film Festival
Denton Black Film Festival
Seattle Black Film Festival
Rapid Lion, South African International Film Festival
Cine Soul, Sacramento Black Film Festival
Los Angeles Black Film Festival

 



"This is [Not] Who We Are is an excellent resource for anyone studying the realities of racism in America. Anyone teaching the basics of anti-black racism or the foundations of the Black Lives Matter movement will want to use this documentary in the classroom. Highly Recommended." — J. Zimmerman, Video Librarian

"By allowing the Black community their voice, Miller forces the audience to listen and learn. One of the most affecting scenes comes when a young girl, Celine Miriam Samuel, articulates her fear that she could 'all of a sudden be shot' by police. The other voices in the film convey to white viewers the need to step back and let the Black community lead. This highly recommended film would be perfect for starting a conversation about structural racism in the viewer's local towns and cities."
— Educational Media Reviews Online

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