No other film has inspired more questions to me from friends, family, and casual moviegoers this year than Justin Simien's debut feature,
Dear White People. Even before I saw it at the Sundance Film Festival premiere, there had been a growing buzz about the comedy with the provocative, in-your-face title, and that hasn't subsided in the least. The film, which takes place at a fictional elite university where race relations are at a boiling point, presents a satirical look at racism in the Obama era. It comes at an interesting time when when universities are seeing an explosion of these "hip-hop parties" with white people decked out in blackface and perpetuating black stereotypes. It comes at a time when we have politicians using code words as cover for their racist policies.
In short,
Dear White People couldn't come at a better time, and it promises to spark a discussion on the issue of race in the same way the early films of Spike Lee did. Along with Tim Gordon, I had a chance to talk with Simien about those comparisons to Lee, his thoughts on racism and prejudice he's personally faced as a gay black man, and much more. You can check out my
Dear White People review
here, and listen to the interview below.
