PORTRAIT OF A BLACK MAN
Powerful, Heroic Men in a Short Film
Yesterday, former Democratic Congressman from Georgia John Lewis was laid to rest. In Morgan Cooper’s short film Portrait of a Black Man, the filmmaker dedicates the expressionistic and empowering story to John Lewis.
With the words of Tupac Shakur, Martin Luther King Jr. and James Balwin playing as a voiceover with swelling music in the background, we see the story of a resilient fighter. Rufus Burns plays our protagonist. Set back from the societal pressures, he rises again stronger than ever. His inner self is caged in, unable to break the bounds that the world has put on him. He succumbs, but is given a second chance. The video ends with him getting his portrait taken, and we realize that what we see of the man sitting in front of us was made by perseverance and pain.
The beautifully shot and powerful film was directed, edited and filmed by Cooper. The stark images tell an amazing story in 3 minutes — an impressive feat for any filmmaker. We at PROVOKR think this should be an ad spot. Put it out for the masses to see. Especially in these times of great need.
Rest in Power, John Lewis.
