Whose Streets?

Whose Streets? is a gripping and thought-provoking documentary that powerfully encapsulates the human struggle for resilience, justice, and change. Directed by Sabaah Folayan and co-directed by Damon Davis released in 2017, the film revolves around the aftermath of the death of Michael Brown Jr., an 18-year-old African American youth in Ferguson, Missouri. Harnessing the collective and gritty-on-the-ground reality, this American documentary paints a vivid picture of the fight for civil rights in the 21st century America, highlighting the role of community, love and resilience in the face of violence and systemic racism.

The movie features impassioned activists and committed civilians of Ferguson, including Michael Brown's grieving parents, Lezley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr. and community citizens like David Whitt. The vividly intense narrative reflects upon the tension that gripped the neighborhood, thrusting Ferguson into the national spotlight, igniting the Black Lives Matter movement and sparking a rigorous debate about racial inequality and police violence against black Americans throughout the United States.

Whose Streets? shies away from a typical exposition-style documentary. Instead, the film skillfully utilizes raw and intimate footage, user-generated media, and original interviews, immersing audiences directly into the pressing drama of events. It's a powerfully urgent chronicle presented through the multi-focal lens of the people that lived through the turmoil, capturing their unwavering resilience as they demand justice and attempt to reclaim their dignity and rights.

Folayan and Davis craft a narrative that is inescapably personal and grounded in the collective experience of the people of Ferguson, demonstrating the universality of the struggle. They rigorously expose the systemic racism inherit in our society, challenging the audience to question their own assumptions and complacencies. The movie doesn't merely recount the events that rattled Ferguson; instead, it forces the viewer to confront their own role and responsibility to create change, elucidating what civil resistance looks like in the context of a racially divided society.

The lead personalities, particularly McSpadden and Brown Sr., carry the weight of the narrative powerfully. And beyond their personal grief, they rise as figures representative of a community's fight for justice, unwavering amidst hate and violence. They significantly underline the importance of resistance and the continued fight against racial inequality. Their strength and struggle are so palpable, drawing the audience deeply into their world and their experiences.

Whitt, on the other hand, emerges as a compelling voice from the Ferguson community—a citizen journalist chronicling events on the ground. His raw footage and heartfelt commentary serve as a stark reminder of the systemic oppression that people of color face in America. His engagement with the world around him encapsulates the spirit of activism at the heart of the documentary.

Like all outstanding documentaries, Whose Streets’ impact stays long after the final screening. It is a kind of film that doesn't just tell a story but enters into the marrow of a consequential movement, becoming an indispensable part of it. It redefines the narrative surrounding the incidents in Ferguson, shifting the focus from mainstream media's portrayal to the hearts and voices of the actual community affected. It stands as a powerful testament to the influence of citizen journalism and the unyielding power of communities amid adversity.

Beyond the immediate story of Michael Brown and Ferguson, the movie makes you contemplate the bigger picture and the widespread themes of inequality, injustice, and systemic racism. It underscores the crucial role each one of us has in unsettling complacency, in speaking truth to power, in standing up to systemic oppression.

Whose Streets? is a masterful piece of filmmaking and a necessary watch for anyone seeking to understand and empathize the human side of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is an influential testament to the power of community, activism, and the enduring human spirit. It reminds us that history is shaped by the people who refuse to let their stories and experiences remain untold, and then cogently asks us – whose streets?