Film

A reflection on ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’

ROLLINGOUT — Amazing and awestruck are the feelings that came through as my eyes took in the latest indie flick, The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

Jimmy Fails works masterfully to expose the constant thoughts of the gentrifier and their continued foot on the neck of the Black community occupying the city of San Francisco. The circumstances that he faces, along with the city’s other Black and poor residents in general, is made poignant through his gaze and experiences. It is here that the character Jimmie and his best friend navigate the beautiful Alice in Wonderland maze of oppressors while consciousness keeps the dreamy truth about growing into manhood and brotherhood frightening, dangerous, and segregated.

Published

5 years ago

August 1, 2019

Munson Steed

By Munson Steed

Amazing and awestruck are the feelings that came through as my eyes took in the latest indie flick, The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

It is clear from the start that the circumstances of Jimmie’s ancestral family home that doesn’t belong to the family anymore, yet his strong ties to hold onto the warm memories and his only true family tie might breed contempt for the transformation of cultural identity for the Black community and ownership in San Francisco.

The external attacks on brothers of both unemployment, environmental dumps, and drugs illuminate the lack of possibility of any sense of normalcy and development by African-American communities families and their legacy.

As James Baldwin said in his seminal work “I am not your Negro,” Jimmie highlights why the principal feeling of being alienated from society systemically clouds and brutalizes the future faith of young Black men.

For those who will never wear the skin that Jimmie does in the film, each White character seeks to really minimize the impact of a system of gentrification and application of responsibilities by liberals and politicians who its constituencies are not the individuals that bear their skin or their vote at the box.

In one scene, Jimmie showcases the rationale that all societal pressures, and those who have privilege in this country, explain their bloody sinful behavior for economic gain based on “If it wasn’t me, it would’ve been somebody else.” The starkest example being the while real estate agent who after learning about the perilous house’s status decides to list it himself to get the commission while Jimmie is trying his best to reclaim the property with no resources.

The film also showcases the feeling of Jimmie’s friend who is writing Jimmie’s memoir while he is living in the same world, but metaphorically being a Langston Hughes-like character who explains the pain that is omitted from the 5 o’clock news but sometimes highlighted in a very liberal voice by NPR without resolution.

Brotherhood could be felt on so many layers that this might be a movie to use as a healing tool to bring gangland murders to a minimum. We see the brotherhood that has often started within young black men beginning in their unfortunate circumstances like group homes and lonely nights on the corner gaining poor examples of masculine maturity as a death results from the corner training of gang-like confrontation principal rights of passage.

Black male toughness constitution leads to the death of Jimmie’s group home friend. Each man suffers from getting the shackle of their oppressed history and memories to remove the fog of lies and hope from their approach to a new day.

There is a poetic use of blindness in the film where our favorite actor and black community benefactor Danny Glover plays the blind grandfather of Jimmie’s best friend, Montgomery Allen. He sees everything on another realm but can change why and what his grandson chooses to be. He does appear to know life has given Jimmie a depressed mind, which does not let black men forget their oppressed station.

Glover’s grandfather character is an elder who is praying for his grandson and his community and urges the two men to stick together against the dangers of the world both seen and unseen.

Emotional tears and anger showcase the need for psychological and mental therapy for many black men. Their fathers have failed to create a legacy of emotional intelligence. Instead of lies breed lies and pain rains on all emotional levels.

Heartbreak, dissatisfaction, and disappointment are served by all of San Francisco, which seems to benefit from all tragic losses of the black community and especially black men.

Jimmie Fails writes the life in the land of Flint, Michigan’s black cousin of San Francisco.

The honest depiction of new age colonizers in this movie might have gotten Jimmie’s project left on an editor’s desk. Demonstrating how a liberal and tolerant white society still benefits from black oppression as white actors always explain away part of the constant injustice San Francisco offers as a gift.

Lastly, Jimmie asks Black fathers why don’t we see the cycle of abuse they administer like free cheese. “You didn’t die from so it was not so bad” philosophy that begs for a pass is a lie that expired decades ago.

Brothers cry, scream and accept that their bond as black men must be protected with honesty; but the pain is going to be part of process and practice.

Jimmie Fails work appears to free black men from the lie that the colonizer has defined you and demand a Black redefinition of their future outside the boxed circumstances of their birth.

Jimmie Fails is not your negro either with the masterpiece The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

This article originally appeared in Rollingout.com.

Munson Steed

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Will Gov. Newsom’s New Film and TV Tax Credit Prioritize Diversity?

Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) says he supports Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to expand the state’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program from its current $330 million annual budget allocation to $750 million. Gipson, who is chair of the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism, says, historically, that tax credit has aimed to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion” as outlined in SB 132.

Published

3 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

Asm. Mike Gipson (D-Carson). File photo.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

Gipson, who is chair of the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism, says, historically, that tax credit has aimed to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion” as outlined in SB 132.

He’s counting on it to continue making diversity a priority.

“The Legislature finds and declares an overall trend toward increasing diversity based on existing research on diversity in the motion picture production and television industry,” the bill language states.

In a statement, Gipson told California Black Media (CBM) the tax credit, “would allow our state to be more competitive against states with tax incentive programs of their own, such as Georgia, New York, and New Mexico.”

“The film and television industry is iconic to California, impacting thousands of jobs for below-the-line workers on film and television crews, as well as many others working in hair and make-up, food services and transportation, costume and set design, and more,” Gipson continued.

According to the Governor’s office, the increase would uplift the state for capped film incentive programs, surpassing other states. Gipson says he agrees with Newsom’s assessment and the notion that the program would bring more business back to California.

“California is the entertainment capital of the world, rooted in decades of creativity, innovation, and unparalleled talent,” said Newsom on Oct 27 in L.A. at the unveiling of the tax credit.

Newsom’s tax credit proposal is expected to appear as a bill during the next legislative session, raising concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion for some lawmakers and advocates.

Gipson’s CLBC colleagues Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) led a faction of legislators who demanded answers from Hollywood last year after several Black women left high-profile executive positions in Hollywood.

A number of those Black executives who left those prominent roles were leading DEI initiatives at major entertainment companies such as Netflix, Disney, British Broadcasting Company, Warner Bros., and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Speaking on behalf of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) employed in the industry, McKinnor and Smallwood Cuevas insist on holding television and film studio executives accountable as they benefit from taxpayer support but often appear reluctant to support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.

“I was highly offended to see the industry’s response to a $1.6 billion tax subsidy by quietly eliminating Black women from executive positions with a number of studios,” said McKinnor. “Many of these women were involved in their studios’ diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, which raises a serious question about their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the film industry.”

The legislation for this year’s tax credit program has not been written, but Gipson’s staff has indicated that he will not introduce it – even though the issue is close to his heart.

“I applaud the work being done by the California Film Commission, the studios, and the entertainment unions, and I look forward to supporting this proposal next year as it moves through the legislative process,” Gipson said.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Essay: A Survivor Relives “The Strike,” a Moving Film Capturing Injustices at Pelican Bay State Prison

It was a privilege to be invited to be part of the panel for the October 9th screening of the documentary “The Strike” at Sonoma State University.
Students from Caitlin Henry’s Criminology and Justice Studies class attended, and their engagement during the event was inspiring.

Published

1 month ago

October 21, 2024

Oakland Post

(L-R) Richard “Razor” Johnson, plaintiff and hunger strike survivor; JoeBill Muñoz and Lucas Guilkey, director and producer, respectively, of the Film Documentary “The Strike;” and event host Caitlin Henry, Criminology and Justice Studies Lecturer at Sonoma State University. Photo by Jonathanfitnessjones

By Richard “Razor” Johnson 

It was a privilege to be invited to be part of the panel for the October 9th screening of the documentary “The Strike” at Sonoma State University.

Students from Caitlin Henry’s Criminology and Justice Studies class attended, and their engagement during the event was inspiring.

After the screening, many students were deeply moved and had the opportunity to ask questions of the Director and Producer, JoeBill Muñoz and Lucas Guilkey, as well as myself, Richard Johnson, one of the hunger strike survivors and a panel speaker. I was one of the ten plaintiffs against the California Department of Corrections, a case that garnered the attention of the United Nations.

Some students lingered after the Q&A, expressing gratitude for raising awareness about the realities faced by those incarcerated. Their emotional responses highlighted the personal connections many have with the prison system, with some sharing experiences of relatives enduring similar conditions. It became clear that there was a significant lack of understanding about the Security Housing Units (SHU) and the stark differences between general population inmates and those confined in Pelican Bay.

On Oct. 23, the Grand Lake Theater will screen “The Strike,” a compelling documentary about Pelican Bay State Prison and the SHU. This film has received numerous accolades, including nominations for “Best Documentary” at the Imagen Awards and the Hot Docs Student Choice Award.

“The Strike” chronicles the harrowing experiences of California men subjected to decades of solitary confinement, culminating in the largest hunger strike in U.S. history. It will also be broadcast nationally on PBS’s Independent Lens in spring 2025.

This documentary is essential viewing, as it critically examines the failures of our judicial system in administering justice and the societal implications of our penal practices. It delves into the psychological torment endured by those held in isolation — many without any rule infractions — and exposes the broader victimization of individuals both inside and outside prison walls.

With over 33,000 inmates participating in the hunger strikes, the film provides an intimate exploration of the power dynamics at play, from the highest levels of state governance to the guards overseeing the units. It reveals the oppressive policies that perpetuate control and abuse within the prison system, ultimately leading to legal interventions to address these injustices.

Don’t miss this powerful documentary that challenges our perceptions of crime and punishment and highlights the resilience of those who fought for justice.

Join us on October 23 at the Grand Lake Theater at 6:30 PM. We will have Q&A at 8:00 PM after the screening with myself and some of the survivors. We look forward to your support and Tickets can be purchased online at www.renaissancerialto.com/TheStrike.php. For more information about the film, visit www.thestrikefilm.com.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

‘Common Ground’ Screening in Marin City Library on October 15

The public is invited to view the documentary “Common Ground,” a film about saving and regenerating our soil, at the Marin City Free Library, 164 Donahue St. in Marin City on Tuesday, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of the Friends of the Marin City Library.

Published

1 month ago

October 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Graphic courtesy of marinlibrary.bibliocommons.com.

By Godfrey Lee

Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of the Friends of the Marin City Library.

This film explores the current issues with our food system and considers how regenerative agriculture and improving soil health can help address these challenges. “Common Ground” is being shown during the North Bay Zero Waste Week of October 12-19. Zero Waste Marin will also be watching the movie either at the library or by Zoom, and will be available for a discussion of the film.

Zero Waste Marin (ZWM) is a governmental Joint Powers Authority that represents the 11 cities and towns and the County of Marin, according to their website. Their mission is to protect natural resources by promoting source reduction of waste through reuse, repair, and more mindful purchasing.

They offer a variety of programs to make recycling and composting easy including: the Household Hazardous Waste Program, the Zero Waste Schools Program, and public outreach and education programs.

These programs align with County-wide goals to act on climate change and promote healthy, safe, and sustainable communities. To learn more about ZWM, visit zerowastemarin.org.

For more information about the Marin City Library and this program, contact Rashida Skaar at (415) 332-6158, or email: rashida.skaar@marincounty.gov