Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 32,982
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Oh boy here we go again!
So, no doubt, you’ll remember that piece I wrote back in April regarding Noah, and the reasons why, according to the co-screenwriter, there were no black people, or people of color in the film (HERE). You should, since it’s gotten over 900 comments so far and still counting.
When it comes to movies, the Bible and the representation of black people, you put all those 3 together, and it’s a winning combination. Which makes me curious about what the reaction will be, when I tell you about the ongoing "Boycott 'Exodus'" movement on social media right now.
In case you haven’t heard, Fox is getting on the Biblical movie bandwagon, and releasing, this Christmas, "Exodus: Gods and Kings," directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Christian Bale as Moses, Joel Edgerton, Arron Paul, John Turturro, Ben Kingsley and Sigourney Weaver.
And of course the first thing that you notice is that there are no black people, or POC in the cast. Well, actually that’s not exactly true. There’s Kingsley (whose real name is Krishna Pandit Bhanji, the son of an Indian Ismali Muslim, and an English mother); and, as you can see in the image above, there are black people in the film - as slaves and servants.
Commenting on the casting selection for the film, writer Ryan Herring said, in a piece he wrote for Sojouners (HERE), that: "Some things never change. In Hollywood, whitewashing, also known as racebending, is one of many longstanding tradition...Historically, this practice was used to discriminate against actors, both male and female, of color…. While maybe not as controversial or blatant today, the practice of whitewashing still continues in Hollywood...[where] roles from scripts that clearly call for a person of color are given to white actors."
He continued to say that: "Throughout the history of European imperialism and colonialism this type of indoctrination was present. Depictions of white only Biblical figures were intentionally used to subconsciously indoctrinate the false belief of white divinity (and therefore superiority) upon the minds of the oppressed and conquered."
Not surprisingly, as a result, a #BoycottExodusMovie campaign was started on Twitter and other social media, as a response, and comments have been coming in, like these:
Aren't there enough black actors? If it’s to find black actors to act slave roles they'll find but never as pharoahs #BoycottExodusMovie
#BoycottExodusMovie its 2014 and Hollywood are still portraying ancient Egyptian royalty as white people? FOH.(F… Outta Here - had to look that up)
Whitewashed cast with black people cast as slaves in ANCIENT EGYPT? You're joking. #BoycottExodusMovie
So what about you? Are you sick and tired of this? Will you be boycotting the film? Or do you think it's just standard procedure in Hollywood, and you couldn’t care less?
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Source: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowand...ement-20140720
It seems it's gone from just simple backlash to a full-on boycott. Will you be skipping this film?
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