Something Every Filmmaker (or Filmwatcher) Must Contemplate

Rating: 10/10 (18 September 2005)

"Birth of a Nation" is a film that occupies a unique space in film history. It is the movie that started all movies. It was the first blockbuster and provided a textbook on editing, cinematography, and film story structure. It has been studied endlessly over the years and Griffith's techniques were copied and expanded by the Soviets in the 20s. However, that being said, it is also the most racist and offensive film ever put on screen. It indoctrinated many people into racist action and hurt many African communities.
When anyone thinks about being a filmmaker, one has to consider that "Birth of a Nation" started it all. One has to ask are they really supporting a medium that was started by a hateful film? Are they contributing to the problem? This applies to people who watch movies to.
These questions cannot be answered by censoring the film or by marginalizing it. The film must studied, broken down, challenged by people who understand it and want to defeat it. To censor racism is to resort to the ignorance that is racism. The only way to truly combat the power of this film is to understand its power and fight back.