Entertainment

Revision | Sons of Hate – Spike Lee’s production tells a true story about race struggle in Mississippi

Published

3 years ago

July 6, 2021

Spike Lee has already become synonymous with intense and gripping film productions whose themes center on issues of black racial struggle. Responsible for classics such as “Do the Right Thing” and recent hits “Blood Detachment” and “Infiltrate the Klan”, Spike Lee focuses his work on telling stories that help raise awareness of the fight against racism. films with these themes, he produces them. This is the case with ‘Filhos do Ódio’, a 2020 feature film whose executive production bears his name and which is now available for hire on demand on digital platforms in Brazil.

Bob Zellner (Lucas Till) is a white man who, along with three classmates, decided to do some college work on black leaders in the local community of Bansfield, Mississippi. This simple gesture was enough to stoke the ire of the local white extremist community, especially members of the Ku Klux Klan, including his own grandfather (Brian Dennehy). Indignant at the behavior of his neighbors, Bob becomes more and more interested in the struggles of blacks, which progressively damages his relationship with his fiancée (Lucy Hale). When a huge protest passes through his town, Bob realizes he needs to act, but as a white boy his choices won’t be well regarded by the people of Bansfield.

Based on Bob Zellner’s life story, “Sons of Hate” has a terrible title, but it describes exactly that: the story of the children and grandchildren of a generation that has grown accustomed to hating. non-white humans, and how, through these generations, these children and grandchildren often break the racist cycle and seek to build a more equal world for all.

With a screenplay written by Barry Alexander Brown, based on Bob Zellner’s book starring Constance Curry, and directed by the same Barry Alexander Brown, the film works the agenda of racial segregation in the southern United States by centering its story on a white protagonist, and that’s kinda weird. We run up against the construction of the white savior, and this generates a little annoyance, as well as the excessive naivety of the protagonist, who seems totally oblivious to what is happening outside of his privileged world. Despite that, it’s a well-produced film, with good performances and an infamous true story.

Set in 1961, it has already been sixty years since the events of “Sons of Hate”, and, given the social behavior of many people, unfortunately proves that the children and grandchildren of those who fought and those who lost. hated each other face again today. . , which demonstrates the relevance of the film – much to our regret. In order for events like this not to happen again anywhere, more films like this are needed, so that the viewer can make their own critical reflection on the subject. Hence the importance of people like Spike Lee, who, when not directly involved in productions that promote this awareness, help produce films like this. What a pleasure to have films like this reaching Brazilian audiences!

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