Selma (film)

Selma (film)
source
Name	Selma
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Ava DuVernay
Producer	Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner
Writer	Paul Webb
Starring	David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson, Oprah Winfrey, Tim Roth, Common
Music	Jason Moran
Cinematography	Bradford Young
Editing	Spencer Averick
Studio	Pathé, Harpo Films, Temple Hill Entertainment, Cloud Eight Films, Plan B Entertainment
Distributor	Paramount Pictures, The Weinstein Company
Released	2014
Runtime	128 minutes
Country	United States, United Kingdom
Language	English

Selma (film) is a 2014 historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb. The film chronicles the 1965 voting rights marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama, led by Martin Luther King Jr., James Bevel, Hosea Williams, and other activists associated with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Starring David Oyelowo as King, the film dramatizes confrontations with local officials such as George Wallace and national leaders including Lyndon B. Johnson and J. Edgar Hoover.

Plot

The narrative centers on the organizers of a campaign to secure federal voting rights for African Americans in Dallas County, Alabama, where systemic disenfranchisement enforced by local officials and groups like the Ku Klux Klan prompts direct-action protests. Following the death of activist Jimmie Lee Jackson and a violent response from state troopers under orders from Governor George Wallace, leaders convene to plan a march from Selma to Montgomery to demand passage of federal legislation modeled on earlier efforts such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The journey features episodes of nonviolent resistance, strategic meetings with members of the United States Congress and the White House—including tense exchanges with President Lyndon B. Johnson and his aide Hubert Humphrey—and culminates in the broadcast of events like the televised beating on Bloody Sunday and the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Cast

The ensemble cast includes David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson, Tim Roth as George Wallace, and Common as James Bevel. Supporting portrayals feature Oprah Winfrey as activist Annie Lee Cooper, Vinz Clortho as civil rights figures, and actors depicting federal officials such as J. Edgar Hoover and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The film also depicts leaders from organizations including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, alongside local figures like John Lewis and Hosea Williams.

Production

Development began after producer Christian Colson and Oprah Winfrey acquired rights to Webb’s script; production companies included Plan B Entertainment and Cloud Eight Films. Ava DuVernay was hired to direct, marking a high-profile collaboration bridging American and British production entities such as Pathé and The Weinstein Company. Principal photography was shot on location in and around Selma, Alabama and other sites in the Deep South to recreate period settings. Cinematographer Bradford Young used naturalistic lighting and Super 16 and 35 mm formats to evoke the look of mid-1960s news coverage, while composer Jason Moran and editor Spencer Averick shaped the film’s pacing. Casting combined established performers with lesser-known stage actors to portray historical leaders, activists, and law enforcement officers, and the production consulted archival materials from institutions like the Library of Congress and the National Archives.

Historical accuracy and controversies

The film sparked debate over its portrayal of the interaction between Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon B. Johnson, with critics from the Johnson Presidential Library and defenders of DuVernay arguing about dramatization versus documentary fidelity. Commentators including members of the King family and scholars of the Civil Rights Movement weighed in on scenes suggesting federal resistance to the march; proponents argued the dramatization captured broader political dynamics involving figures such as J. Edgar Hoover, while critics cited specific omissions or composite scenes. Other controversies involved depiction of local law enforcement and the role of state actors like Alabama Governor George Wallace, as well as questions about chronology and the representation of activists such as John Lewis and James Bevel. Historians pointed to the film’s emphasis on televised images like Bloody Sunday as integral to public awareness and subsequent passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Release and reception

Premiering in late 2014 during awards season, the film screened at festivals and held a theatrical release distributed by Paramount Pictures and The Weinstein Company. Critics lauded the film for direction by Ava DuVernay, Oyelowo’s performance, and its cinematography, while noting debates over historical nuance raised by scholars associated with institutions like the King Center and various universities. The film performed well at the box office for a historical drama and stimulated renewed public interest in the Civil Rights Movement, leading to discussions in media outlets and civic institutions. It also became a focal point in conversations about representation and the politics of memory in depictions of 20th-century American history.

Awards and nominations

The film received multiple accolades, including nominations for Academy Awards—notably Best Picture and Best Original Song—and won awards from organizations such as the NAACP Image Awards and critics’ groups. Recognition honored achievements in acting, direction, and cinematic craft, with specific praise for David Oyelowo and Ava DuVernay. The film’s awards circuit included nods from the British Academy Film Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, and various film festivals and societies celebrating historical and socially engaged cinema.

Category:2014 films Category:Films about the civil rights movement