10 Documentaries To Watch If You Liked 13th

Ava DuVernay’s 13th is an incredibly documentary about slavery and racism – and it’s far from the only one that allies should be watching.

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On October 7, 2016, Netflix released a documentary titled 13th. Its title taken from the Thirteenth Amendment (abolishing slavery and indentured servitude, adopted in 1865), 13th explores modern issues regarding race and mass incarceration in the United States.

It was created by Ana DuVernay, who is perhaps best known for writing and directing Selma and creating the Netflix drama When They See Us. Her work has been widely regarded, and 13th is no different – it was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature Academy Award and won the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.

And if you liked it, then there are even more great documentaries to check out. These are ten documentaries to watch if you liked 13th.

10 Strong Island (2017)

The themes of racism, prejudice, and white-on-black violence were explored in detail in the 2017 documentary Strong Island. The documentary was directed by Yance Ford, and it tells the story of his brother William. William was a 24 year old teacher in New York who was killed by a white chop shop mechanic. Claiming self-defense, the killer was found innocent by an all-white jury in Suffolk County, New York.

9 LA 92 (2017)

Released the same year as Strong Island, LA 92 covered very similar themes stemming from a very similar case. LA 92, as is quite obvious from the title, explores the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Not only does it cover the riots themselves, but it also explores the history of racial riots stemming from police brutality and the beating of Rodney King – which itself spawned the eventual L.A. riots, which caused over sixty deaths, 2,000 injuries, and over 12,000 arrests. The documentary is just as relevant now than it’s ever been.

8 Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)

Let It Fall is very similar to LA 92, only far more encompassing and detailed. This documentary concerns the tumultuous period in Los Angeles history between 1982 and 1992, which included the rise of street gangs and the crack epidemic, the killing of Latasha Harris, Operation Hammer, the beating of Rodney King, and the eventual riots. It’s required viewing for anyone interested in the city’s history and the social climate it experienced throughout the 1980s.

7 The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution (2015)

Created by MacArthur Fellow Stanley Nelson Jr., The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution concerned the creation and story of the Black Panther Party.

Founded in 1966 and dissolved in 1982, the Black Panther Party was a far-left organization concerning revolutionary socialism, anti-racism, anti-capitalism, and black nationalism ideals. Taking seven years to make, the documentary combines archival footage with modern interviews with ex-members and various FBI agents.

6 The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975

This documentary largely explores the Black Power movement that swept through America between 1967 and 1975 (hence the title). It was created and filmed by Swedish journalists and filmmakers. It also serves as a real found footage documentary, as the old footage was discovered in the basement of Swedish Television. It was then overlaid with commentary from contemporary African American artists and scholars. It’s a brilliant glimpse into the Black Power movement of the late 60s and early 70s.

5 500 Years Later (2005)

500 Years Later is an independent documentary from the mind of Owen ‘Alik Shahadah. It primarily concerns the widespread global issues that plague black communities, including mass poverty, crime, corruption, and poor education. It’s ambitious, encompassing, and thoroughly fascinating. The documentary was widely acclaimed and took home numerous awards, including UNESCO’s Breaking the Chains award. In 2010, a sequel was released titled Motherland.

4 Whose Streets? (2017)

Whose Streets? is another police brutality-themed documentary proving relevant in today’s political climate.

It concerns the killing of Michael Brown, an 18 year old Black man who was shot and killed by a white police officer named Darren Wilson. It also explores the resulting Ferguson unrest, which saw widespread rioting, looting, and general violence spread through Ferguson, Missouri throughout 2014 – resulting in over 300 arrests and over a dozen injuries.

3 I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

I Am Not Your Negro is based on an unfinished manuscript by activist James Baldwin, titled Remember This House. Remember This House recounts Baldwin’s thoughts on racism and civil rights, as well as his personal recollections of monumental historical figures like Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King Jr. It is also narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, lending the documentary a Hollywood sheen. It took home the BAFTA award for Best Documentary.

2 The House I Live In (2012)

The House I Live In is a 2012 documentary that explores and condemns America’s failed War on Drugs. It contains a long list of notable participants, including civil rights litigator Michelle Alexander, journalist Charles Bowden, Columbia’s Professor of Clinical Neuroscience Dr. Carl Hart, and creator of The Wire, David Simon – just to name a few. The documentary took home the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at Sundance and won a Peabody Award in 2014.

1 3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets (2015)

Created by filmmaker Marc Silver, 3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets concerns the fatal shooting of teenager Jordan Davis. On November 23, 2012, Davis was shot and killed by 45-year-old Michael Dunn following a dispute over loud music. Dunn was eventually found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The documentary was universally acclaimed, winning the Special Jury Prize at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/thirteenth-best-similar-documentaries/