Antoine Fuqua’s latest film Emancipation sees him collaborate with Will Smith on a slavery drama, with its first trailer dropping and leading to criticism for its depiction of slavery.
Based on the true story of a slave known as Gordon or “Whipped Peter”, it sees the events which spark the abolition of slavery as people realized the unjust and cruelty of the American slavery system. Smith plays Peter in the film written by William N. Collage, who it must be noted is a white man.
The debate has unfurled for several reasons. There’s an uneasy factor of having movies led by Black people seemingly falling into the category of slavery dramas, or movies that depict them as “hood drug dealers” as one user pointed out. One of the most successful slavery dramas in the 21st century, 12 Years a Slave, is also hard to forget in this discussion.
Slavery in film is also cited as something people are just over, with the genre seen as overdone and not the only story that can be told about Black people. There’s an uncomfortable discussion to be had over who exactly these films are being made for, with it being pointed out these films seem to try and appeal to both white guilt and Black trauma.
The other side of the debate comes from the need to tell Black stories, and that means telling stories of Black trauma. Slavery is a topic which education systems around the world struggle to manage properly, so perhaps movies are the best way to make people hear these stories.
Something worth noting during the debate around Emancipation is how other films have also tackled the subject, including the blockbuster Black Panther. Both the original and Wakanda Forever tell of the ramifications of slavery and the lack of reparations, though they don’t explicitly show the struggle of Black people in those eras.
Director Fuqua has consistently given a voice to different sections and areas of the Black community and said Emancipation had to pull its shooting from Georgia due to the state’s regressive voting policies aimed to stop all people from voting freely. Fuqua didn’t want to give the state a cent and stood by his word as they shifted filming.
There is no clear answer for how Emancipation can make everyone feel heard and happy, with the world still not able to fully move past the horrendous history of slavery. Black people’s voices in the film, however, should be the first listened to when the film releases.
Emancipation will release on Dec. 9 on Apple TV Plus, with the film having a small theatrical run in the United States the week prior.