Southern Rites

Southern Rites, directed by the renowned American photographer Gillian Laub, is an eye-opening exploration of the complexities that racial relations continue to hold in our consciousness, particularly in the American South. Released in 2015, this profound documentary immerses the viewer in the heart of Montgomery County, Georgia, showcasing the struggle for societal change within the context of historic racial prejudice and systemic injustice.

Gillian Laub spent a decade capturing the lives of Montgomery's county residents in a series of deeply personal photographs before turning to the medium of film. Initially drawn by the town's continued adherence to the tradition of racially segregated high school proms, Laub was curious about the undercurrents of separation within the seemingly contrasting unity of this community. This curiosity evolved into Southern Rites, a documentary inspired by the desire to explore the paradox of a segregated prom held by this deeply interconnected community.

However, these aren't the only lines that this documentary scrutinizes. Southern Rites meticulously ventures into racially charged situations, ranging from the deeply personal to the horrifyingly public. The film’s narrative shifts when, during Laub’s time in Montgomery County, an unarmed 22-year-old black man, Justin Patterson, is shot by an older white man in 2011. This tragic event serves as an impetus for Laub to tell a more crucial story: the persistence of racial tension and unending search for justice.

Laub dusts off the image of Southern genteel charm, revealing the hostile and deeply rooted racial tension erupting in events that shake the community. The film further underscores the inherent paradox of this environment by following the electoral campaign of the first black candidate for the Sheriff's office, Norman Horne - a figure who personifies the community's potential progress and the challenges that accompany racial dynamics.

Engagingly presented through expert cinematography, the documentary magnifies ordinary moments of county residents' lives, interspersing them with more dramatic sequences of courtroom scenes and political debates. Laub never thrusts an outside perspective onto the narrative, instead allowing the stories to unfold through the voices of the residents themselves. In doing so, Southern Rites not only bestows a human element to the community; it also refrains from oversimplifying the layers of the racial landscape that the citizens navigate daily.

An equally impressive score composed by David Lang sets the moody backdrop of the film, and Laub's signature visceral imagery and skillful storytelling effectively transport the audience to this small town wrestling with old beliefs and new aspirations. The town's racial dynamics are laid bare in their rawest form, symbolized by the segregated prom tradition and growing political shifts.

Laub’s Southern Rites remains transparent throughout the documentary, not swaying away from the unfiltered reality – presenting ugly truths, whispered fears, and claustrophobic prejudices candidly. It's a conversation invoked on-screen but intended to resonate far beyond – especially in a space like America, where racial identity continues to matter.

The director skilfully weaves the themes of identity, community, prejudice, and justice into the fabric of the documentary, letting individual stories emanate warmth, despair, anger, and hope. Montgomery's residents become more than just templates used to accentuate societal observations, they become the heart and soul of Southern Rites. It’s in the residents’ genuine emotional outpourings that the viewer experiences first-hand the weight of living under the long shadows of history and racial tensions.

By the end of Southern Rites, the viewer emerges with a comprehensive understanding of the complications of racial tensions, particularly in the American South, and a surrogate experience of the community’s journey toward societal growth and change. The film doesn't offer easy answers or definitions to the problems emphasized - it asks the viewers to question, reflect and empathize with a community grappling with its past to form a more inclusive future.

Ultimately, Southern Rites is a poignant exploration of the gritty reality beyond the idyllic Southern façade. It’s a testament of resilience of a society standing at the crossroads of tradition and change, laboring toward racial harmony. Through Laub's lens, Montgomery County becomes a mirror reflecting the greater issues America grapples with, serving as a stark reminder that while progress has been made, the journey toward racial equality is far from over.