Ode à Latasha

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 front runner for Best Documentary Short at the Academy Awards and deservedly so, I'm very happy the Oscars put this on my radar because A Love Song for Latasha is such a short and sweet tribute to a life taken too soon. Without being preachy or insensitive, it is simply a film that honors the layers the media neglects to share about Latasha Harlins. I was taught about her briefly in college but I'm so glad this Netflix doc colored in the lines in between what I knew. This is such a worthwhile watch because it manages to make a cinematic and beautiful short that is lush and emotionally moving. Well done.

A very painful documentary, broken dreams, revolt, and widespread outrage at the disproportionate violence and latent injustice, Soon Ja Du, a 51-year-old Korean, did not serve a single day in prison, and that fact also contributes to the Uprising Los Angeles in 1992 and remembered in the Black Lives Matter, a simple production, however necessary, with only speeches and memories from friends and relatives...

I ended up watching this because I am working my way through the Oscar nominations. I knew nothing about the subject matter. The 19 minutes pf this work are very lyrical-abstract animation is even used-and the underlying story is one of raw emotional power. The short fulfills its title as it is largely a remembrance about Latasha by her friends and family. No time is spent on the larger context-it is singularly about Latasha in herself. The film is admirable in that regard but I wish there was like a minute of larger context to bookend the core of the short. It feels like a very well done home movie.

This is not an easy watch, but it's worth watching every minute. It is exactly what the title says, a love song, and like so many love songs has heartbreak at its core. A young black girl shot, her life seemingly worth $1.79, and no justice. This could have been 1951 rather than 1991, and tragically could be 2021.