Subscribe

* indicates required
Okayplayer News

To continue reading

Create a free account or sign in to unlock more free articles.

By continuing, you agree to the Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy

Si whiteonyellow
Si whiteonyellow

Sundance 2017: Films On Michael Brown, Roxanne Shanté & Winnie Mandela

Lenny Kravitz, Grace Jones, Lauryn Hill, Lion Babe, Thundercat, SZA & More Rock The Afropunk Festival 2015 in Brooklyn, NY.

Today was the release of a set of films that will be a part of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, but there are three particular ones that stick out.

Whose Streets, a documentary, tells the story of Michael Brown's death, and how that incited the Ferguson protests in 2014. The festival's website describes the movie as follows:

"A nonfiction account of the Ferguson uprising told by the people who lived it, this is an unflinching look at how the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown inspired a community to fight back—and sparked a global movement."

Whose Streets is directed by Sabaah Folayan and co directed by Damon Davis.

The second one is Roxanne Roxanne, a dramatic film on New York City rapper Roxanne Shanté. Here's a synopsis for the movie:

"The most feared battle emcee in early-'80s NYC was a fierce teenager from the Queensbridge projects with the weight of the world on her shoulders. At age 14, hustling the streets to provide for her family, Roxanne Shanté was well on her way to becoming a hip-hop legend."

The cast includes Chanté Adams; Mahershala Ali; Nia Long; Elvis Nolasco; Kevin Phillips; and Shenell Edmonds.

And lastly there is Winnie, a documentary that focuses on Winnie Mandela (Nelson Mandela's wife) while Nelson was in prison.

"While her husband served a life sentence, paradoxically kept safe and morally uncontaminated, Winnie Mandela rode the raw violence of apartheid, fighting on the front line and underground," a brief description reads for Winnie. "This is the untold story of the mysterious forces that combined to take her down, labeling him a saint, her, a sinner."

The festival will be hosting screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City, and at Sundance Mountain Resort January 19-29.

More films will continue to be announced the closer the festival gets. Check out the list of films here.