Jared N. Culture 06.06.2020 06:Jun AM EDT

Done with The Help on Netflix? Here are Other Must Watch Movies About Racism

The Help just hit number 1 on Netflix but there are actually other excellent movies to learn more about racism amid protests happening around the world led by the Black Lives Matter movement. Want to educate yourself on what they're fighting for?

The deaths of Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have sparked the world's need for justice for black people. The world has started discussing these racial injustices, which has made numerous people start protesting against the problems with society.

The world can't ignore the plagues of racism and police brutality as they are causing drastic civil unrest. Some people never knew about the harsh reality that black people face in America and many other countries. Education on racism and the need for justice against it is critical to have now more than ever.

There are many ways to educate yourself about racial discrimination and justice. One of the more prominent mediums is through film. Here are a few recommendations of films that help you understand what's going on right now.

The Help

The Help talks about the plight of black maid. This 2011 film was based on a book authored by a whie woman. It was directed by a white man.

LRT - I'm so sorry but the last thing folx need to be watching are bootleg "racial reconciliation" movies like "The Help" - if you need a list of Black films, Black film critics are on here happy to suggest some really good ones. Hi, happy to help. pic.twitter.com/0diLv2kD75 — Rebecca Theodore-Vachon (@FilmFatale_NYC) June 4, 2020

Fruitvale Station

The 2013 film by Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station, is interesting. It focused on taking away the idea that a young black man is a thug. It was the last day of the main character's life, and the film painted a sensitive portrait of how it went. This type of storytelling is an essential correction in contrast with how media portrayals of black people are mostly negative.

The film's director, Ryan Coogler, has gone on to create bigger films, but Fruitvale Station doesn't get talked about often. It's an attempt at making someone feel alive that has been taken away, and that's something we have to treasure.

13th

The 2016 documentary by Ava DuVernay, 13th, is an excellent documentary that dives deep into how the carceral state of America came to be this way. The movie is fast and it goes back to 1865. It talks about the 13th Amendment's ratification back then and how it was the origin of the mass incarceration of black people.

DuVernay said the reason they crammed so much history into the documentary is that it's a challenge to get the nation of America talking about race in any meaningful way. They mentioned that they wouldn't be able to unless something bad occurred.

I Am Not Your Negro

The 2017 documentary by Raoul Peck is a propulsive one that surrounds the life of James Baldwin. It talks about the times he lived in and all about his writings. There are clips of Baldwin himself in the movie and a narration of a book he never finished writing.

The aim of the director Peck was to reintroduce Baldwin how his thinking worked to modern society. Baldwin hasn't been forgotten, but most of the time society needs a flashy neon sign that tells us the direction we need to think towards. This is especially vital considering how the media controls our noisy and cluttered world.

Whose Streets?

The 2017 documentary by Sabaah Foloyan and Damon Davis is all about the demonstrations that happened during the Black Lives Matter protests in Ferguson back in 2014. The documentary is a record of what was happening through the eyes of the filmmakers. They witnessed gritty events of activism and the building of a community.

The documentary does a fantastic job of shining the spotlight on the women and queer people that were the center of the organization of that movement, and their stories will not be wiped from Black Lives Matter's history.