Field Niggas (Khalik Allah, 2015): USA

Reviewed by Adam Bensalah. Viewed during 2015 AFI FEST.

The movie “Field Niggas” is a pot towards the truth of the world we live in and that we deliberately intend to ignore every day. Khalik intentionally filmed the movie in slow motion in order for the audience not to concentrate on the image, but listen to what each of those people had to share. Khalik Allah took the initiative to step away from the shadows and exhibit the reality in the daylight.

While we may not notice it in our daily routines, regardless of the conceptualization of justice and freedom that the 21st century has brought about, some parts of society still do not benefit from what we call today human rights. In this case, Khalik Allah sheds light upon the injustice and lack of symmetry among today’s society by providing several examples. Khalik gets into conversations with people in Harlem, clarifying this corrupted vision of a community where human rights are just an idea.

The title of the movie itself is a reflection of not only one, but also many dilemmas behind the past and current misery that the real field niggers endured and those who are not considered as blessed by nature. To sum up, all the perceptions that this movie made me ponder upon is the affliction that these people have to live with. This made me more and more willing to support them in their lonely fight against the rest of the world. Nevertheless regardless of our ethnicity, gender, or color, we are all born free and should be treated equally.


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