Baldwin's Nigger (Horace Ové, 1968)

In this black-and-white cinéma-vérité documentary, writer James Baldwin and comedian/activist Dick Gregory debate passionately in front of an overwhelmingly black British audience. The film shows something exceptional for that period: an uncensored conversation about the black experience, as if no white people were present. This open-hearted, almost intimate public debate tackles many important themes in the US and UK. With the majestic eloquence that characterises not only his literary style but also his speaking, Baldwin provides subtle and critical commentary on complex problematic issues such as race and colour. An insightful document that is still relevant in substance and urgency. --IFFR