This movie is just sad. So sad that in 21st century Racism is still such a big thing in USA. How is it possible, that after so much fighting for human rights, USA is still so bad? How is it possible in 21st century, a men who made a campaign focusing on hate for non-white people, win an election? How can USA be so evolved and, at the same time, so retarded in basic things?
Well done Ava DuVernay!!
a hard watch but worth it if you want an understanding of slavery, the prison system and the black experience in america
A powerful film from Ava DuVernay.
Nominated for Oscar's Best Documentary Feature. It is really hard to watch this documentary because it puts a societal norm under a high intensity light that leaves you blinded and helpless confronted with a great evil. God have mercy on us all. Another important film that needs to be seen by white America, because black America lives with it every day, and white America doesn't have a clue. It may not give answers, but, perhaps awareness is a step in the right direction. I give this a 9 (important) out of 10.
I have to give 13th the obligatory "eye opening" review. I knew mass incarceration was a systemic issue but I didn't know of the specific policies allowing it to happen and the literal constitutional loophole leading to slave prison labor.
It maddens me that profits still come before people. This shows the deep and disgusting dark side to "The land of the free"?
Its been made available free on YouTube, go watch everyone everywhere in the world. We all need to know, its time to educate ourselves why and how important the #blacklivesmatter movement really is.
Interesting watch from the UK. Always knew that there was intrinsic racism but this shows that policies which appear to be about other areas are really about re-enforcing very old policies and that corporate greed still is very much in place.
A very hard but rewarding watch.
BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! God this made me cry several times. Must watch.
Named after the 13th amendment to the US constitution, which states:
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Selma film-maker Ava DuVernay argues compellingly that the wording here introduced a loophole wherein a form of slavery can continue by simply charging people of crimes. When you look at the sheer numbers, it’s hard to deny this - the US houses 25 percent of the world’s prisoners, despite only having around 4 percent of the world’s population. The prisoners act as an unpaid labour force reminiscent of slavery.
13th presents its argument well, using a mix of interviews and archive footage to get the point across in an even handed and fair way. I’m not sure it sheds any new light on the topic but it organises the avalanche of information available into something easier to follow without dumbing anything down.
A couple of points: First, the film is too long and sometimes aimlessly meanders away from the central topic. Second, clips of Donald Trump rallies are used to illustrate the similarities to the KKK. These were taken out of context and, loathsome as he may be, it’s a little dishonest.
Finally, while I don’t question that there is an incarceration problem in the US, and that for-profit prisons only worsen the issue, I’m not sure how directly linked this is to the 13th amendment. If you were to ban free labour in prisons you would definitely close the loophole, but I don’t think you would reduce the amount of people being jailed unfairly since there is still money to be made. I suppose my main disagreement is with the title of the film rather than its content.
These are minor quibbles though; 13th is a rage-inducing and insightful look into what has become a massive problem in the so-called land of the free.
benoliver999.com/film/2017/01/15/13th/
Shout by Saint PaulyBlockedParent2017-04-14T22:51:58Z
Institutionalised racism explained in terms so clear even I can understand it. This well-directed documentary is not only tragic, it's necessary.