9 films that talk about racism

Racism is that ideology that safeguards the predominance or superiority of a race against the other ethnic groups that exist in humanity. Throughout history, various racist groups have been seen that have expressed in a thousand ways their contempt for black people; as is the case of the neo-Nazis, originating mainly in Germany and the extreme right North American organization created in the 19th century known as the Ku Klux Klan.

All these racist ideologies and organizations have been drivers of slavery, wars and great crimes against human life. One of the most recent cases was the brutal murder of an African American named George Floyd , who was mistreated until he was killed by a former police officer known as Derek Chauvin.

However, the crises that have arisen due to racism have been the inspiration for various social protests and forms of protection towards the races, which reject any type of racism. And cinema, which is one of the most impressive cultural media in the history of humanity, has been in charge of bringing to the big screen and in an extraordinary way, the different social injustices that have arisen throughout human existence, among them racism.

It is for this reason that in LatinAmerican Post, we have chosen 9 films of different genres, which talk about racism and racial disunity, with their respective trailers, so that you can choose the one that you like the most.

The Help

This exciting American film, based on a novel of the same name by Kathryn Stockett, tells the story of Emma Stone, a 23-year-old journalist who returns home with the dream of being a writer in the 1960s. This was one of the periods when the African American population led major social protests, demanding their civil rights. There, this neophyte journalist, begins to see her social environment with a more sensitive and critical perspective, managing to secretly tell the story of hundreds of African-Americans who have lived for a long time in a "modern" slavery and are seeking social change.

Get Out

This film project is perfect for lovers of horror and suspense. This movie, which has been praised by critics and the audience, tells the story of a black boy named Chris Washington. This boy travels with his girlfriend Rose to his in-laws' house. There he notices the strange behavior of the employees and when investigating it, he discovers a dark secret that could cost him his life.

Invictus

This sports drama, based on the social events of the South African people during Nelson Mandela's presidency at the Rugby World Cup in 1995,  shows the period in which the South African leader is put in the task of spreading a pacification policy between a white minority and a black majority. Not to mention, the movie stars two amazing actors: Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.

Hidden Figures

This is one of the best biographical films of 2016. It is based on the book "Hidden Figures" by non-fiction writer Margot Lee Shetterly. The film recreates the lives of African American scientists, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson. These three talented women had to go through various obstacles due to their racial condition while working in the Segregated Division at the Langley Research Center, one of NASA's oldest centers. There it is shown how their important mathematical contributions achieved very good results, leading them to have great recognition.

Diary of a Skin

This Spanish telefilm from 2005, tells the story of a journalist named Antonio Salas who infiltrates a group of neo-Nazi boys, with the purpose of obtaining revenge for the murder of his brother-in-law and colleague, who was killed by that group of neo-Nazis, just for being South African. In his attempt to seek justice, it is shown how he begins to dress and speak like them, thus obtaining great respect and recognition within their group.

Green book

This dramatic comedy of 2018,  won 3 Oscars and 3 Golden Globes, for being the best comedy or musical film of that year. It tells the story of the African American classical music pianist, Don Shirley. This musician hires an Italian-American chauffeur to be his bodyguard and conductor during his musical tour in the old American South of the year 1962.

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12 years a slave

This is without a doubt one of the best British-American dramas of 2013. This fascinating audiovisual project develops its story in the North American context of 1841. Solomon Northup is a free black man who lives with his family in New York. However, he is kidnapped by 2 men in Washington DC, who sell him as a slave and he is forced to live a hard time during his 12 years of slavery.

Django Unchained

This American film takes place in the old west. It tells the story of Django, a former slave who goes to great lengths to retrieve his wife from the hands of an inhuman plantation owner. The film is characterized by its violent scenes and by the incredible performance of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jaime Foxx and Christoph Waltz.

Moonlight

This movie based on the play "In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue", is divided into 3 segments: The childhood, adolescence and adulthood of an African American boy named Chiron . The cinematographic work exposes the adversities that this young man has when relating to other people in his environment and the way in which he faces his homosexuality and his emotional development.