Eu Não Sou Seu Negro

This film should be required for every American. It is one of the most important films of our time. It is lyrical, profound, historic and of this moment. And, at the same time it is profoundly intimate. James Baldwin is right here with us, front and center, looking right at us, talking with us, imploring us to consider the urgent questions he raised 50 years ago that are as urgent today. Thank you Raoul Peck. This is a masterpiece. It is as poetic as it is a demand for white people to come to terms with how they have constructed blackness and what, indeed, this means about whiteness. Peck includes one of Baldwin's most famous statements on this in the film: "What white people have to do, is try and find out in their own hearts why it was necessary to have a n*#!er in the first place. Because I'm not a n*#!er. I'm a man, but if you think I'm a n*#!er, it means you need it. . . . If I'm not a n*#!er here and you invented him — you, the white people, invented him — then you've got to find out why. And the future of the country depends on that. Whether or not it's able to ask that question." This is it. Our future depends on it. Baldwin cannot say it more clearly.

A laudable effort that attempts to break down what it means to be born black in the United States of America, I Am Not Your Negro works both as an informative piece that chronicles the nation's disgraceful history and an evocative memoir that tries to piece together and envision the contents of James Baldwin's unfinished manuscript.

Directed by Raoul Peck, this documentary takes us through Baldwin's own personal observations of American race relations and how by refusing to take responsibility & confront its blood-soaked history, the country remains incapable of real foundational change. The parallel it draws between then & now is quite unnerving, for America is still inherently racist, more or less.

Through the words & voice of James Baldwin, it underlines how the western nations have been living a lie of pretended humanism and continue to be wilfully ignorant of their criminal ancestry. There's a soothing, almost assuring touch to Baldwin's voice and it helps keep the viewers' rage in check whenever explicit images of violence & brutality endured by the African-American population surfaces on screen.

Overall, I Am Not Your Negro offers a bold, honest & unsparing exposé of the dark side of America, far from the sense of reality it advertises to the world, and argues that the onus lies with their white demographic to face the uncomfortable truth and dismantle the systemic racism, for the future of America is very much synonymous with the future of its black community. Although this documentary is a bit uneven at times, it is nonetheless vital viewing.

James Baldwin and his views of racism in the U.S. are the main focus of this documentary with special attention on the assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King. The film includes live footage of Baldwin in the 1960s (on the Dick Cavett Show and at a lecture at Cambridge University) and readings (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) from his unfinished manuscript "Remember this House".

From the start, it is clear that Baldwin had an intellect and outlook that were far superior to the average person - not just during his life (he died in 1987) but even more so today. He is very eloquent in expressing the repugnance of an evil whose effects continue to resonate today. He is even more so when he describes theories that racism is a result of a deeper problem in the soul and collective mindset of the U.S. One such malaise is the quest for an unattainable ideal of "purity" and the inevitable self-loathing that follows this self-delusional pursuit. Other such problems include materialism.

Baldwin's mind is so much above that of the average viewer that there is a slightly mixed result. At times, one feels distant - and possibly inferior - to the mindset being expressed but overall, the viewer is rewarded with insight that is rare in other sources.

Considering the rich history of this film, it is disappointing that some information was excluded. Baldwin had two prejudices against him. In addition to being black, he was also gay. This fact is alluded to only briefly during the film. There are also surprising negative comments he made against Bobby Kennedy. Research after the film revealed that Baldwin and Kennedy did not get along despite supporting a similar cause. The film might have been more rewarding had it explored more on both of these topics.

The footage is brilliant and shocking at the same time. After this movie, one is left with many uncomfortable feelings that lead to a lot of thinking - a sign it has fulfilled its purpose. - dbamateurcritic

I've been on a roll lately with my movie choices. I've seen one delight after another and I get to add this movie to the list.

I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary based upon the writings of James Baldwin in which the essence is Black-White race relations in the U.S. James was an eloquent writer and speaker so I may be doing him a disservice by summarizing the documentary as such. He'd probably say it was a lot more than that--and it was. In it we got an ode to Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. These three iconic figures of the Civil Rights era were all killed within five years of each other and none lived to the age of 40.

There was a lot of riveting and provocative imagery in this documentary and it certainly will not appeal to a lot of people. There are some ugly truths about the American past that we all want to move on from but we'd do well not to forget.

I loved the film. If for no other reason than being treated to seeing and hearing James Baldwin speak. He was a brilliant and eloquent speaker and I had no clue. One thing mentioned was how Malcolm X, MLK and James Baldwin all had different view points and different approaches to the problems of Black people in America. They all spoke a truth as they had different backgrounds and different outlooks. But what is undeniable is that they all had the uplifting of their people in mind and all three personalities were invaluable to the African American cause.

This is a documentary that is going to disturb you and wake you up out of your reverie. The film is replete with historical footage and photos as well as recent footage--there are clips as recent as present day Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump--so you can't just relegate the picture to "old news" or "stuff from the past". It is relevant and as James Baldwin alluded to: it is a problem that has to be fixed because the survival of the country depends upon it.

I do not live in the US but I am fascinated by it. I live in the Netherlands where a dutch musician recommended it through social media. Reading James Baldwin's books was already on my to do list and this movie has enticed me even more to dive further in the head of this mastermind. His analysis of the American life is layered and complex but ultimatly comes down to one thing: Are you willing to look at who you really are and are you willing to change to make your society a better place. This movie embodies a universal timeless truth through the mind and creativity of a skillfull genius. A gift to anyone who is open to learn.