1 ANGRY BLACK MAN

BY: Amanda Jane Stern

This week, instead of our usual PROVOKR Pick, we have a bit of a unique piece. The independent feature film 1 Angry Black Man is a timely drama that deals with race relations on a liberal arts college campus. It was made in the direct aftermath of the 2016 election and coming out on-demand and DVD this Friday, June 5th. And I am in the film.

Set in real-time over a 90-minute class, 1 Angry Black Man follows college senior Mike Anderson (Keith Stone in his feature film debut). Today he has his African-America literature class. This class is usually his favorite, but today, he can’t focus on the course that generally bolsters his spirit; instead, he’s reliving the trauma of a recent altercation with the police. I play a character named Maggie, she is a college junior majoring in English who hails from Walnut Creek, California. I wouldn’t go as far as to say she is a budding Karen, but she comes from a very privileged background. She doesn’t always have the ability to process how someone else’s life experiences may differ from her own, especially regarding people of color.

We filmed the movie one week in a sweltering study in the Bronx, NYC, in the summer of 2017. The project was timely and vital then. Despite the passage of time since we filmed and its upcoming release, the movie has become even more important today. If we are not enraged at what is happening to Black Americans on a daily basis, there is something wrong with us.

I reached out to Menelek Lumumba, the first-time writer/director of 1 Angry Black Man, to talk about this film, his process making it and how it relates to what is going on right now.

In a couple of sentences, how would you describe 1 Angry Black Man?

Menelek Lumumba: I wanted to make a film about the emotional impact of racism. The protagonist of the film has come to terms with his place in society and he finds that to be devastating.

What inspired you to write this film?

ML: Inspiration is a funny thing. It was both practical and philosophical. The film takes place (mostly) in one room, so you have a high concept mixed with a practical story that can be shot with efficiency. I have played with this idea for years. Can you keep a modern film audience in one space for 90 minutes? Let’s see how far this medium can go.

It’s an ensemble piece, tell us a little about the casting process.

ML: I worked with the amazing [casting director] Adrienne Stern. She gave me access to an amazing group of New York actors. We had twelve characters and it was critical that each person has their own unique responses to the literature in the class. Each character is in that room and PRESENT. That’s why the film works.

Which character do you personally identify with the most, and why?

ML: I really relate to all of them. There is a piece of me in all twelve of the people in that classroom. The script is a real window into where my emotions were at that time. I was afraid. I had just had a son and the world felt very dark. The film is an attempt to work through those emotions.

Given that the film is set in real-time and mostly takes place in one location, was this a hard project to get financed?

ML: The project started as a crowdfunding campaign. We did very well, but fell far short of our projection. At that time, [producer] B.K. Fulton and his Soulidifly Productions stepped in and financed the film. It was truly the right time, right place.

How have things changed, if at all, since you made the movie?

ML: Still too early to know. The film is really about the power of conversation. No one talks. Well, people talk, but no one listens. We know so much about mental health. America has been in a constant state of denial about racial oppression. We have to face the reality or history will just repeat itself.

Why is it important that this movie comes out now?

ML: I’m just happy the film was made. I got to tell the story the exact way I wanted to tell it. I had the opportunity to meet with so many filmmakers during the festival run of 1 Angry Black Man. The first feature is TOUGH. Tough to get it made. Tough to get your vision out there. I believe in every single frame of this film. It’s my voice. I’m very happy about that.

What do you hope people take away from the movie?

ML: My creative partner Hans Charles (Cinematographer, Producer on 1 Angry Black Man) and I want to just tell stories. “Once upon a time”. This was the story on my mind. When I wrote the script three years ago, I had no idea we would be in the middle of a worldwide conversation/uprising about racial injustice. I hope artists are motivated to tell their stories. I got to make my first feature at 36. Keep writing. Keep creating. Never quit.

PROVOKR would like to thank Menelek Lumumba for taking the time to speak with us. Watch 1 Angry Black Man on demand and DVD, beginning on Friday, June 5th.