Little White Lie

Little White Lie is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary released in 2014, which serves not only as a riveting personal narrative but also as an exploration of racial identities, family secrets, and the complex realities of being biracial in America.

The subject and director of the film, Lacey Schwartz Delgado, creates a vivid self-portrait, delving into her own life story as she grew up in a Jewish white family in the predominantly white suburbs of Woodstock, New York. Blessed with naturally curly hair and a complexion darker than anyone else's in her family, Delgado addresses the peculiarity of her physical appearance that contrasts greatly with her parents throughout the film. Throughout her childhood, she was led to believe that she inherited her dark skin from her Sicilian grandfather, a story she readily accepted, despite the rumors and unsolicited inquiries about her racial background.

As Delgado heads to college, she decides to attend Georgetown University, where, for the first time ever, she is identified as black on her application form. This experience marks a major turning point in her life, pushing her to question the truth about her identity, leading to a deep, introspective exploration of herself and her family history.

As Delgado begins to question the validity of the 'little white lie' she has been living under, she tackles the delicate and daunting task of confronting her family about their concealed history. With delicacy yet determination, the film documents Delgado's journey to disentangle this deeply intertwined web of secrets and seek her true identity, using home movies, intimate interviews, and personal narrative.

Featuring interviews with family members, friends, and experts alike, including Sarah Brokaw, the daughter of legendary American television journalist Tom Brokaw, and Bruce Corwin, a family friend, the film serves as a powerful, intimate, and multifaceted exploration of the complexities of race, family, and truth.

The film does not shy away from engaging deeply with the nuanced and often contentious subjects of race, colorism, and identity. It presents a fascinating study of the sometimes ambiguous boundaries and definitions of race, and how these can impact individuals and their understandings of who they are. At the same time, Little White Lie is an exploration of family dynamics and the lengths to which families go to protect secrets, keep peace, and maintain the status quo.

Elegantly crafted and exceptionally compelling, Little White Lie stands out for its honesty and courage as much as its filmic prowess. Delgado, through the cinematic lens of the film, provides an immensely powerful and virtually tangible perspective on the themes of her own personal racial discovery.

An intricate web of family, race, love, deception, and awakening, Little White Lie is a heartfelt and insightful journey that encapsulates an intimate portrait of a woman's courageous confrontation with her past and consequent metamorphosis into a future of authenticity. It asks crucial questions about identity and interrogates societal norms, compelling the viewers to reflect on their own perceptions about race, identity, and family.

The film will generally appeal to audiences who appreciate deeply personal documentaries, as well as those who were intrigued by delicate yet resonating themes like family secrecy, identity struggles, racial boundaries, societal norms, etc. Little White Lie provides a complex, thoughtful perspective on an individual - and a society - reckoning with hard truths.

In terms of acting, Lacey Schwartz Delgado, Sarah Brokaw, Bruce Corwin, and the rest of the cast deliver poignant and authentic performances. This adds to the film's impact, creating an intimate, realistic, and emotionally charged atmosphere. Throughout the film, Delgado approaches her journey with a determined curiosity that keeps the viewers engaged from start to end.

In conclusion, Little White Lie reflects the ultimate strength of documentary filmmaking in narrating an intensely personal yet universally relatable story about identity, acceptance, and finding the courage to face complex truths head-on. This narrative will surely strike a chord in any viewer, whether they have experienced similar identity struggles themselves, or if they simply want a thought-provoking experience about the nuances of racial identity and complex family dynamics in contemporary America.