Film: Jessica Kellgren-Hayes
Dear White People
Before every Sundance screening of his new film Dear White People, first-time writer/director Justin Simien issued a disclaimer; “For all the white people in the audience, on behalf of all the black people in the world, you most definitely have permission to laugh.” Laugh they did. The film even went on to win the Special Jury Prize.
Its title refers to an amusingly demagogic radio show at (fictional) Ivy League college, Winchester University, hosted by the militantly revolutionary, biracial film student Samantha White (Tessa Thompson) – who believes that, due to their slang, yearning for fried chicken and freaking out when their hair gets wet, Gremlins is actually about white people’s fear of black urban encroachment.
Her broadcasts to the campus are generally edicts along the lines of; “Dear White People, the minimum requirement of black friends needed to not seem racist has been raised … to two. Sorry, your weed man Tyrone doesn’t count.” And; “Dear White People, please stop touching my hair. Does this look like a petting zoo to you?”
The film opens with news of a “race war” on campus that has been set off thanks to an offensive black-themed Halloween party given by some white students (complete with a mock-freestyle rap contest, blackface, toy guns, and “purple drank”). It then flashes back to the individuals and incidents that helped to create this alleged
racial conflagration.
Winchester’s administration passes a randomised housing policy in an attempt to break up the black students, who mostly live together. In retaliation, Sam and her black power clique pelt all non-residents (that’s ‘white people’) with eggs when they try to enter.
Not everyone in the house embraces Sam’s radicalism; Troy, the clean-cut son of the Dean who’s dating the white daughter of the University president, doesn’t want to ruin his chances of running
for office; Coco, a dark-skinned girl from inner-city Chicago, who wants to be mainstream enough to get on TV; Lionel (played by
Tyler James Williams from Everybody Hates Chris), a gay, aspiring reporter with a giant afro who doesn’t believe he fits in anywhere. They are brought together by outrage at the group of mostly
white students throwing an “African-American” themed party …
and a hatred of Tyler Perry films.
Simien’s ambitious goal was to pay homage to films that mix humour with racial social commentary, like Hollywood Shuffle or School Daze. The concept trailer made to fund the film was provocative enough to be commented on by CNN. Sensing the opportunity, Simien quit his job and finished the script.
Although the film’s stance is as a skewering of racial attitudes
it is also a touching story of the longing for acceptance. The satire
and humour manages not to be contradicted by the sincerity
of its message. It is a true testament to the talents of this young director and his impeccable cast.
This is a film you may have missed, but one you really shouldn’t.
