Uma Canção para Latasha

"A Love Song for Latasha" isn't only a sentimental recollection--although it's that, too--of the life of Latasha Harlins, who was shot to death in the back of the head by a convenience store owner over, as the documentary short says, a dispute regarding a container of orange juice. While the 1992 Los Angels riots, or uprising, are usually described as a consequence of the acquittal of the officers who were videotaped beating Rodney King, this picture also considers the killing of Latasha, whose killer was convicted for manslaughter and never sentenced to prison, as a contributing factor. Much of this is told in the over-used style of text at the end of the movie before the credits. Before that, however, we get a uniquely constructed piece of documentary filmmaking.

Although only 19 minutes long, it took a while for me to warm up to the style of the picture--initially finding it distracting from the interviewees' recollections of Latasha's friend and cousin, including about her dream of becoming an attorney. Regardless, it's an innovative approach of recreated or reimagined footage as if from old home videos, often played as if being rewound, reflexively displaying the marks of its making, such as the addition of seemingly VHS static, haunting and always poetic. The real videotape at the center of the news story of Latasha's death is never shown here, on the other hand. Ultimately, "A Love Song for Latasha" isn't about her death; it's about the character and aspirations of a 15-year-old girl whose life was tragically cut short.

Its very sad, and while the film style is unique and scattered its very beautifully told. Its beautiful her family and friends still carry on her legacy. I highly recommend, its a good reminder how little we value some people and how racism can cut someone's life short

This story is so painful and sadly, familiar 20 years later.

I think that Latasha sounds incredible and I think this documentary does a great job at painting a picture of her and like the woman in the documentary said Latasha is often reduced to just a headline. I think this documentary is a fantastic counter to that and really shows the person she was.

This is a sad watch. It's sad what happened to her, it's sad what happened to her loved ones and it's sad that it still happens today. The end lines of text after the movie finishes is are just the final punch to the gut. It really is Appalling.

Unfortunately I think that the filmmaking does hinder this documentary at times. It's a little scattered and for lack of another word, strange.

It is sort of art house-y and has so many effects on it. You don't see the faces of anyone talking for the first half of the documentary so it can be confusing who is actually telling the story. I think all this just gets in the way.

This doesn't completely ruin the film I just would have personally preferred them to focus more on the story and not reversing footage and like editing every shot to the hilt.

A mini-documentary. It is about the murder of a teenage girl in the 90's and the feelings of her acquaintances. Piercing. Raw. Quality. The narrations and the recreation of her voice are exemplary. Animations and skits are fine. Seek justice and promptly expose the harassment experienced by people of color in certain neighborhoods in the United States. In 20 minutes it leaves you with a sour taste. In the end it could be you or I who tragically loses my life while going to the store. It is a documentary made with love that reclaims the life of a black girl. Safety pin.

The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis cop in 2020 spawned a massive push for the US to focus more seriously on its history of racial issues. The Rodney King story is an obvious parallel. However, a lesser known topic from the Rodney King story is Latasha Harlins, a black girl shot by a convenience store owner only days after King's beating.

Sophia Nahli Allison's Academy Award-nominated documentary "A Love Song for Latasha" sets out to look at who Latasha Harlins was beyond the headlines. It's not the greatest documentary, but offers a good look at the life of this girl taken all too soon in an already tense climate. I recommend it.