good evening I’m a filmmaker I’m a storyteller and these are exciting times
storyteller and these are exciting times
storyteller and these are exciting times to be a filmmaker in a storyteller
to be a filmmaker in a storyteller
to be a filmmaker in a storyteller because we’re changing history I
because we’re changing history I
because we’re changing history I anticipate that in your lifetimes
anticipate that in your lifetimes
anticipate that in your lifetimes history meaning the human story as we
history meaning the human story as we
history meaning the human story as we know it will change completely that
know it will change completely that
know it will change completely that doesn’t mean that we’re going to go back
doesn’t mean that we’re going to go back
doesn’t mean that we’re going to go back and change what happened it’s not about
and change what happened it’s not about
and change what happened it’s not about time machines it means that we’re going
time machines it means that we’re going
time machines it means that we’re going to go back and reassess and reinterpret
to go back and reassess and reinterpret
to go back and reassess and reinterpret what happened that we’re going to look
what happened that we’re going to look
what happened that we’re going to look with fresh eyes and that the story we
with fresh eyes and that the story we
with fresh eyes and that the story we end up with will be very different from
end up with will be very different from
end up with will be very different from the story but we understand to be true
the story but we understand to be true
the story but we understand to be true today what do I mean by reinterpret from
today what do I mean by reinterpret from
today what do I mean by reinterpret from Herodotus to the latest blockbuster you
Herodotus to the latest blockbuster you
Herodotus to the latest blockbuster you saw in a multiplex this is held to be
saw in a multiplex this is held to be
saw in a multiplex this is held to be true history begins when a white man
true history begins when a white man
true history begins when a white man walks into the picture
walks into the picture
walks into the picture it only happens in his presence and it
it only happens in his presence and it
it only happens in his presence and it only concerns what happens to him the
only concerns what happens to him the
only concerns what happens to him the rest of us are at best bit players were
rest of us are at best bit players were
rest of us are at best bit players were supporting players we’re there to
supporting players we’re there to
supporting players we’re there to support his story often were absent or
support his story often were absent or
support his story often were absent or irrelevant that is the distorting prison
irrelevant that is the distorting prison
irrelevant that is the distorting prison through which history has been seen and
through which history has been seen and
through which history has been seen and that has bled into the stories we tell
what would stories
what would stories what would history look like without
what would history look like without
what would history look like without that filter imagine going back and
that filter imagine going back and
that filter imagine going back and seeing all the many people and points of
seeing all the many people and points of
seeing all the many people and points of view that are omitted from the
view that are omitted from the
view that are omitted from the conventional narrative we would soon
conventional narrative we would soon
conventional narrative we would soon come to understand that what we’re
come to understand that what we’re
come to understand that what we’re taught and what we recognize as history
taught and what we recognize as history
taught and what we recognize as history a lot of the time is in fact fiction
a lot of the time is in fact fiction
a lot of the time is in fact fiction which brings me to real fiction the
which brings me to real fiction the
which brings me to real fiction the movies the stories we tell reflect how
movies the stories we tell reflect how
movies the stories we tell reflect how we see history it’s hard to overestimate
we see history it’s hard to overestimate
we see history it’s hard to overestimate how much the Moving Image TV and cinema
how much the Moving Image TV and cinema
how much the Moving Image TV and cinema is part of this problem because it’s
is part of this problem because it’s
is part of this problem because it’s through television and cinema but most
through television and cinema but most
through television and cinema but most people interact with their history we
people interact with their history we
people interact with their history we know the Tudors are important because of
know the Tudors are important because of
know the Tudors are important because of how many TV series how many movies have
how many TV series how many movies have
how many TV series how many movies have been made about them so which films are
been made about them so which films are
been made about them so which films are made tell us who was important who
made tell us who was important who
made tell us who was important who contributed who was worthy of respect
contributed who was worthy of respect
contributed who was worthy of respect who mattered in the story you might say
who mattered in the story you might say
who mattered in the story you might say well you know all this is in the past
well you know all this is in the past
well you know all this is in the past does it matter now
does it matter now
does it matter now I say desperately how can you convince
I say desperately how can you convince
I say desperately how can you convince people you matter today when everything
people you matter today when everything
people you matter today when everything they watch tells them that you never
they watch tells them that you never
they watch tells them that you never mattered in the past if narrative film
mattered in the past if narrative film
mattered in the past if narrative film and television are part of the problem
and television are part of the problem
and television are part of the problem they must be part of the solution so my
they must be part of the solution so my
they must be part of the solution so my task our task as diverse storytellers is
task our task as diverse storytellers is
task our task as diverse storytellers is to reinsert ourselves and our stories
to reinsert ourselves and our stories
to reinsert ourselves and our stories and our points of view into the
and our points of view into the
and our points of view into the narrative in doing so correcting the
narrative in doing so correcting the
narrative in doing so correcting the record to give a more accurate
record to give a more accurate
record to give a more accurate representation of the past you could say
representation of the past you could say
representation of the past you could say our job is to create fact how will this
our job is to create fact how will this
our job is to create fact how will this be done who’s that whose job is it to do
be done who’s that whose job is it to do
be done who’s that whose job is it to do this well all of us really people often
this well all of us really people often
this well all of us really people often say well where are you going to find
say well where are you going to find
say well where are you going to find these stories well they’re everywhere
these stories well they’re everywhere
these stories well they’re everywhere I’ll give you an example the manner
I’ll give you an example the manner
I’ll give you an example the manner these are hangs in a room in the Louvre
these are hangs in a room in the Louvre
these are hangs in a room in the Louvre and it’s almost like a pilgrimage to go
and it’s almost like a pilgrimage to go
and it’s almost like a pilgrimage to go up and and go and see it but photographs
up and and go and see it but photographs
up and and go and see it but photographs taken in that room would often show that
taken in that room would often show that
taken in that room would often show that the black person in who is in the room
the black person in who is in the room
the black person in who is in the room would be looking in the opposite
would be looking in the opposite
would be looking in the opposite direction have there
direction have there
direction have there back to the painting and people
back to the painting and people
back to the painting and people wondering what are they looking at one
wondering what are they looking at one
wondering what are they looking at one day one of the curators in the room went
day one of the curators in the room went
day one of the curators in the room went up to the lady a blackness said what are
up to the lady a blackness said what are
up to the lady a blackness said what are you looking at and she pointed opposite
you looking at and she pointed opposite
you looking at and she pointed opposite the Mona Lisa is a monumental painting
the Mona Lisa is a monumental painting
the Mona Lisa is a monumental painting the wedding feast at can I buy very nazy
the wedding feast at can I buy very nazy
the wedding feast at can I buy very nazy and in the corner of that painting is a
and in the corner of that painting is a
and in the corner of that painting is a little black boy serving wine the
little black boy serving wine the
little black boy serving wine the visitor was transfixed by him what was
visitor was transfixed by him what was
visitor was transfixed by him what was his story was he doing there who were
his story was he doing there who were
his story was he doing there who were his parents he was a story that needed
his parents he was a story that needed
his parents he was a story that needed to be exhumed which brings me to gorilla
to be exhumed which brings me to gorilla
to be exhumed which brings me to gorilla created by Academy award-winning John
created by Academy award-winning John
created by Academy award-winning John Ridley and co-written by John Ridley and
Ridley and co-written by John Ridley and
Ridley and co-written by John Ridley and myself we’re all so familiar with the
myself we’re all so familiar with the
myself we’re all so familiar with the images of the civil rights movement in
images of the civil rights movement in
images of the civil rights movement in the 60s people are comfortable with the
the 60s people are comfortable with the
the 60s people are comfortable with the church based nonviolent ethos that
church based nonviolent ethos that
church based nonviolent ethos that decade produced but the story of course
decade produced but the story of course
decade produced but the story of course is bigger than that what happens when
is bigger than that what happens when
is bigger than that what happens when you look at the civil rights movement in
you look at the civil rights movement in
you look at the civil rights movement in the 70s the 70s were a decade of change
the 70s the 70s were a decade of change
the 70s the 70s were a decade of change think of OPEC the winter of discontent
think of OPEC the winter of discontent
think of OPEC the winter of discontent strikes punk rock it was also a time of
strikes punk rock it was also a time of
strikes punk rock it was also a time of intense political activity of
intense political activity of
intense political activity of disillusionment when the struggle for
disillusionment when the struggle for
disillusionment when the struggle for civil rights entered a more militant
civil rights entered a more militant
civil rights entered a more militant phase through characters who would not
phase through characters who would not
phase through characters who would not normally be heard so when we decided to
normally be heard so when we decided to
normally be heard so when we decided to look at what ought to be quite a
look at what ought to be quite a
look at what ought to be quite a familiar event in our history just by
familiar event in our history just by
familiar event in our history just by looking at it as a different time we saw
looking at it as a different time we saw
looking at it as a different time we saw a different story what stories are
a different story what stories are
a different story what stories are important when you look at history
important when you look at history
important when you look at history without the familiar filter you’ll find
without the familiar filter you’ll find
without the familiar filter you’ll find that that question answers itself
that that question answers itself
that that question answers itself if we think of something as familiar and
if we think of something as familiar and
if we think of something as familiar and endlessly filmed as the Second World War
endlessly filmed as the Second World War
endlessly filmed as the Second World War we know all the images we know all the
we know all the images we know all the
we know all the images we know all the stories the bravery at Dunkirk the
stories the bravery at Dunkirk the
stories the bravery at Dunkirk the Battle of Britain the Desert Rats French
Battle of Britain the Desert Rats French
Battle of Britain the Desert Rats French Resistance there are a thousand movies
but 1 million people of color from the
but 1 million people of color from the colonies fought for Britain and the
colonies fought for Britain and the
colonies fought for Britain and the Allies in the Second World War where are
Allies in the Second World War where are
Allies in the Second World War where are their stories
once you big once you go back and look
once you big once you go back and look at history afresh you’ll find that for
at history afresh you’ll find that for
at history afresh you’ll find that for example the occupation and the
example the occupation and the
example the occupation and the dismemberment of Abyssinia the Exile of
dismemberment of Abyssinia the Exile of
dismemberment of Abyssinia the Exile of its Emperor the fall of a country that
its Emperor the fall of a country that
its Emperor the fall of a country that had roots biblical roots is probably as
had roots biblical roots is probably as
had roots biblical roots is probably as important as what happened in
important as what happened in
important as what happened in Czechoslovakia country that was only 20
Czechoslovakia country that was only 20
Czechoslovakia country that was only 20 years old it’s important when we choose
years old it’s important when we choose
years old it’s important when we choose our stories as well that we remove the
our stories as well that we remove the
our stories as well that we remove the lens that filters out the colour of
lens that filters out the colour of
lens that filters out the colour of people when that is convenient so when
people when that is convenient so when
people when that is convenient so when we look at the Second World War this is
we look at the Second World War this is
we look at the Second World War this is what we see and what we believe to be
what we see and what we believe to be
what we see and what we believe to be true so this is Burma but this is also
true so this is Burma but this is also
true so this is Burma but this is also Burma but when we look at history we
Burma but when we look at history we
Burma but when we look at history we don’t conveniently forget that one of
don’t conveniently forget that one of
don’t conveniently forget that one of the greats of French literature Duma was
the greats of French literature Duma was
the greats of French literature Duma was a black man or that the father of
a black man or that the father of
a black man or that the father of Russian literature Pushkin was a black
Russian literature Pushkin was a black
Russian literature Pushkin was a black man in guerrilla we chose to look at the
man in guerrilla we chose to look at the
man in guerrilla we chose to look at the consequences of another period of
consequences of another period of
consequences of another period of history the consequence of Enoch Powell
history the consequence of Enoch Powell
history the consequence of Enoch Powell rivers of blood speech not through the
rivers of blood speech not through the
rivers of blood speech not through the eyes of those who engaged with that
eyes of those who engaged with that
eyes of those who engaged with that politically or who had moral opinions
politically or who had moral opinions
politically or who had moral opinions but through the eyes of the people who
but through the eyes of the people who
but through the eyes of the people who were most affected by it
were most affected by it
were most affected by it from whose point of view Ben should a
from whose point of view Ben should a
from whose point of view Ben should a story be told who is a hero stories and
story be told who is a hero stories and
story be told who is a hero stories and movies have been overwhelmingly told
movies have been overwhelmingly told
movies have been overwhelmingly told from one point of view I feel my job as
from one point of view I feel my job as
from one point of view I feel my job as a storyteller is to wrench the camera of
a storyteller is to wrench the camera of
a storyteller is to wrench the camera of history from the direction it has always
history from the direction it has always
history from the direction it has always been pointed at and pointed elsewhere
been pointed at and pointed elsewhere
been pointed at and pointed elsewhere and when you tell different stories from
and when you tell different stories from
and when you tell different stories from different points of view you do produce
different points of view you do produce
different points of view you do produce different kinds of hero the past may not
different kinds of hero the past may not
different kinds of hero the past may not always be a comfortable place for us all
always be a comfortable place for us all
always be a comfortable place for us all to visit together but visit it together
to visit together but visit it together
to visit together but visit it together we must my story is not only the
we must my story is not only the
we must my story is not only the saintliness of Gandhi or Mandela it can
saintliness of Gandhi or Mandela it can
saintliness of Gandhi or Mandela it can also be the righteous fury of Toussaint
also be the righteous fury of Toussaint
also be the righteous fury of Toussaint L’Ouverture taking Haiti you have the
L’Ouverture taking Haiti you have the
L’Ouverture taking Haiti you have the right to be the hero of your own story
right to be the hero of your own story
right to be the hero of your own story not to tell it through somebody else’s
not to tell it through somebody else’s
not to tell it through somebody else’s eyes and not to have to make everyone
eyes and not to have to make everyone
eyes and not to have to make everyone comfortable while you’re telling it in
comfortable while you’re telling it in
comfortable while you’re telling it in gorilla the love story of jazz and
gorilla the love story of jazz and
gorilla the love story of jazz and Marcus we examine the consequences of an
Marcus we examine the consequences of an
Marcus we examine the consequences of an ordinary couple taking up arms in a
ordinary couple taking up arms in a
ordinary couple taking up arms in a political struggle so who who’s going to
political struggle so who who’s going to
political struggle so who who’s going to tell these stories it’s known of course
tell these stories it’s known of course
tell these stories it’s known of course we need more diverse storytellers and
we need more diverse storytellers and
we need more diverse storytellers and you probably think what does a diverse
you probably think what does a diverse
you probably think what does a diverse storyteller look like well like me but
storyteller look like well like me but
storyteller look like well like me but that’s not true we’re all diverse
that’s not true we’re all diverse
that’s not true we’re all diverse storytellers every last person in this
storytellers every last person in this
storytellers every last person in this room is in his or her own way diverse
room is in his or her own way diverse
room is in his or her own way diverse because the mold was broken when you
because the mold was broken when you
because the mold was broken when you were made so diversity doesn’t just mean
were made so diversity doesn’t just mean
were made so diversity doesn’t just mean one way of looking at life we don’t make
one way of looking at life we don’t make
one way of looking at life we don’t make that the new orthodoxy when you want to
that the new orthodoxy when you want to
that the new orthodoxy when you want to approach what stories are told you look
approach what stories are told you look
approach what stories are told you look inside yourselves and you say what are
inside yourselves and you say what are
inside yourselves and you say what are the story
the story
the story is that I want to hear what it what is
is that I want to hear what it what is
is that I want to hear what it what is it that makes me different and what
it that makes me different and what
it that makes me different and what makes me what is it that I want to hear
determining what history is used to be
determining what history is used to be the privilege of the few not anymore
the privilege of the few not anymore
the privilege of the few not anymore what’s also exciting about telling
what’s also exciting about telling
what’s also exciting about telling stories now is the diversity of media in
stories now is the diversity of media in
stories now is the diversity of media in which those stories can be told and if
which those stories can be told and if
which those stories can be told and if you feel your story is not being told
you feel your story is not being told
you feel your story is not being told remember history no longer just been
remember history no longer just been
remember history no longer just been luck belongs to people who are powerful
luck belongs to people who are powerful
luck belongs to people who are powerful or who can control what’s being said it
or who can control what’s being said it
or who can control what’s being said it actually belongs to anyone who was there
actually belongs to anyone who was there
actually belongs to anyone who was there it belongs to anyone who has an iPhone
it belongs to anyone who has an iPhone
it belongs to anyone who has an iPhone and can record what happened history has
and can record what happened history has
and can record what happened history has sort of become well it’s like a party
sort of become well it’s like a party
sort of become well it’s like a party anyone can join in in the end you say
anyone can join in in the end you say
anyone can join in in the end you say but why why is why is history why is it
but why why is why is history why is it
but why why is why is history why is it all so important I believe history
all so important I believe history
all so important I believe history provides a context for your life it can
provides a context for your life it can
provides a context for your life it can be a source of pride but most
be a source of pride but most
be a source of pride but most importantly it is your second skin it’s
importantly it is your second skin it’s
importantly it is your second skin it’s a shield that allows you to be able to
a shield that allows you to be able to
a shield that allows you to be able to withstand whatever comes because you
withstand whatever comes because you
withstand whatever comes because you know who you are you know where you’ve
know who you are you know where you’ve
know who you are you know where you’ve come from so if you feel your history
come from so if you feel your history
come from so if you feel your history your story is not being told register
your story is not being told register
your story is not being told register your presence right about it think about
your presence right about it think about
your presence right about it think about it
it
it tell your stories speak to your
tell your stories speak to your
tell your stories speak to your grandparents speak to your parents speak
grandparents speak to your parents speak
grandparents speak to your parents speak to anyone that can help you know your
to anyone that can help you know your
to anyone that can help you know your story
story
story get out your iPhone put your story into
get out your iPhone put your story into
get out your iPhone put your story into the Canon because history is a party
the Canon because history is a party
the Canon because history is a party thank
thank
thank [Applause]
”
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