A team of filmmakers led by Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg are seeking contributions to make American Race, a documentary exploring the “black male crisis” in America in the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Berg, together with actor Nate Parker and writer Matthew Cooke, launched a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo two days after a grand jury chose not to indict policeman Darren Wilson for shooting Brown – Ferguson has since seen angry protests in the wake of the decision.
“In response to the growing problem of racial disparity due to the ongoing dehumanization of black men, actor and activist Nate Parker is setting out on a journey of investigation,” reads the callout for funds. Parker will meet with various communities, “with the intention of mining strong and tangible solutions to combat this ever-growing crisis.”
The team began filming in Ferguson in August, to “capture a moment that months prior to any grand jury verdict was already destined to set a nation on edge.” They now want to bulk out the “amazing” footage with more shot around the rest of the US. “The story of Michael Brown is but one story of sadly far too many and we plan to shoot a docu-series that will illuminate the magnitude of this pattern of the murder of black males in our country,” they continue, picking out examples like Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner.
Parker has starred in a number of movies including Beyond The Lights, Non-Stop, Aint Them Bodies Saints, and George Lucas’s film about black second world war pilots, Red Tails. He had a supporting role in Berg’s feature film Every Secret Thing, alongside Diane Lane, Elizabeth Banks and Dakota Fanning, which is due for release in early 2015.
Berg meanwhile made her name with the Oscar-nominated Deliver Us From Evil, a harrowingly intimate look at the life of Catholic priest Oliver O’Grady, who sexually abused 25 children in the 1970s and 80s. She has also made a Bafta-nominated film about the West Memphis Three, and is currently working on a Janis Joplin documentary.
The team aim to raise $25,000 by January 5, though unlike with Kickstarter campaigns, they will be able to keep everything that is raised up to that amount.
