Ode à Latasha

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 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.

This is a great documentary . It is well constructed,Brittany Hudson is superb and so likeable. A Love Song for Latasha 10/10

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.

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.