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I Am Not Your Negro

  • 2016
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
24K
YOUR RATING
James Baldwin in I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel "Remember This House."
Play trailer2:02
6 Videos
71 Photos
History DocumentaryDocumentaryHistory

Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.Writer James Baldwin tells the story of race in modern America with his unfinished novel, Remember This House.

  • Director
    • Raoul Peck
  • Writers
    • James Baldwin
    • Raoul Peck
  • Stars
    • Samuel L. Jackson
    • James Baldwin
    • Martin Luther King
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    24K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Raoul Peck
    • Writers
      • James Baldwin
      • Raoul Peck
    • Stars
      • Samuel L. Jackson
      • James Baldwin
      • Martin Luther King
    • 96User reviews
    • 218Critic reviews
    • 95Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 36 wins & 53 nominations total

    Videos6

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:02
    Official Trailer
    Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:05
    Teaser Trailer
    Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:05
    Teaser Trailer
    I Am Not Your Negro
    Trailer 1:06
    I Am Not Your Negro
    Janelle Monáe, Laverne Cox, and More Share Their Must-Watch Picks for Pride
    Clip 3:40
    Janelle Monáe, Laverne Cox, and More Share Their Must-Watch Picks for Pride
    I Am Not Your Negro
    Clip 1:08
    I Am Not Your Negro
    I Am Not Your Negro
    Clip 1:02
    I Am Not Your Negro

    Photos71

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    Top cast68

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    Samuel L. Jackson
    Samuel L. Jackson
    • Narration
    • (voice)
    James Baldwin
    James Baldwin
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Martin Luther King
    Martin Luther King
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Malcolm X
    Malcolm X
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Medgar Evers
    Medgar Evers
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Robert F. Kennedy
    Robert F. Kennedy
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Harry Belafonte
    Harry Belafonte
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Paul Weiss
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Dick Cavett
    Dick Cavett
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    H. Rap Brown
    H. Rap Brown
    • Self - Black Panther Party
    • (archive footage)
    Bob Dylan
    Bob Dylan
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Leander Perez
    • Self - White Citizens Council
    • (archive footage)
    Sidney Poitier
    Sidney Poitier
    • Various Roles
    • (archive footage)
    Ray Charles
    Ray Charles
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Doris Day
    Doris Day
    • Various Roles
    • (archive footage)
    Gary Cooper
    Gary Cooper
    • Frank Flannagan
    • (archive footage)
    Tony Curtis
    Tony Curtis
    • John 'Joker' Jackson
    • (archive footage)
    Clinton Rosemond
    Clinton Rosemond
    • Tump Redwine (clip from They Won't Forget (1937))
    • (archive footage)
    • Director
      • Raoul Peck
    • Writers
      • James Baldwin
      • Raoul Peck
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews96

    7.924.3K
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    Featured reviews

    CinemaClown

    A Bold, Honest & Unsparing Exposé Of The Other Side Of America

    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.
    10caitcahill

    Must see !

    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.
    9evanston_dad

    An Eloquent and Angry Examination of the Racial Divide

    James Baldwin began a book called "Remember This House" but died before completing it. It intended to weave together the stories of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers into a tapestry of the black American experience. In "I Am Not Your Negro," Samuel L. Jackson reads the finished portion of the manuscript, and filmmaker Raoul Peck sets the words to images from the Civil Rights Movement and the current Black Lives Matter movement. The result is a bracing and deservedly angry film that captures better than anything I've read or seen yet the reasons behind the frustration and outrage of American blacks.

    There's a marvelous moment in the film when a philosophy professor challenges Baldwin on the Dick Cavett Show for his attitudes, and basically holds Baldwin (and by extension black people) responsible for the continuing racial divide. His message seems to be "you're the one making an issue out of this, not me." Baldwin's take down of him in eloquent words that I won't even begin to try to replicate captures the essence of the entire film and the black struggle for equality.

    And Baldwin's criticism doesn't stop at racial issues. He also denounces American popular and material culture in general, accusing Americans of letting consumerism anesthetize them into a false sense of happiness and contentment that allows them to ignore all that is wrong with the American way of life.

    This is a movie that made me furious at America for continuing to stick its head up its ass when it comes to the subject of race. Watching Baldwin's heartfelt distress over the Civil Rights Movement juxtaposed to recent images from the news made it crystal clear that America has not progressed as much as it would like to think it has.

    Grade: A
    7proud_luddite

    Baldwin's intelligence is a highlight

    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
    Gordon-11

    Captivating

    This documentary tells the story of the horrible history of the United States of America just decades ago, when the law and the public openly allowed horrifying discrimination based on race. Three individuals who spoke out against this terrible and sustained crime against equality were murdered. This documentary focuses on these three brave souls who met their untimely death.

    It is almost out of this world to see how discrimination and abuse happened as if it was normal. The archival footage are plentiful and very well selected in this documentary. What people said in front of camera in support of discrimination was horrific. I could not believe there was even someone singing about the murder of the African American activist.

    This documentary captivates my attention and evokes my emotions.

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film is based on James Baldwin's 30-page unfinished manuscript for a novel. In a way, it "finishes" the work by incorporating other interviews and writings by Baldwin, and expanding on the themes through archival footage.
    • Quotes

      James Baldwin: Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it has been faced. History is not the past. It is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history. If we pretend otherwise, we literally are criminals.

    • Connections
      Featured in La 89e cérémonie des Oscars (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      The Ballad of Birmingham
      Written by Jerry Moore, Dudley Randall

      © Melody Trails

      Performed by the Tennessee State University Students (2006)

      Music and Arrangement by Bransen Edwards

      Piano by Steve Conn

      Vocals by Santayana Harris & Kameka Word

      Courtesy of Dr. Robert R. Bradley

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    FAQ18

    • How long is I Am Not Your Negro?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 10, 2017 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • United States
      • Belgium
      • Switzerland
    • Official sites
      • Belgian co-production's official site
      • French distribution's official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Je ne suis pas votre nègre
    • Production companies
      • Velvet Film
      • Velvet Films
      • Artémis Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,123,919
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $686,378
      • Feb 5, 2017
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,345,298
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33m(93 min)
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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