Selma (film)

Selma (film)
source
Name	Selma
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Ava DuVernay
Producer	Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
Writer	Paul Webb
Starring	David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, André Holland, Tessa Thompson, Common, Tim Roth
Music	Jason Moran
Cinematography	Bradford Young
Editing	Spencer Averick
Studio	Pathé, Plan B Entertainment, Harpo Productions
Distributor	Paramount Pictures
Released	2014, 11, 11, AFI Fest, 2015, 01, 09, United States
Runtime	128 minutes
Country	United States, United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$20 million
Gross	$66.8 million

Selma (film). Selma is a 2014 historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb. It chronicles the Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965, a pivotal series of events in the American Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. The film focuses on the political and strategic efforts to secure voting rights for African Americans in the face of violent opposition, culminating in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Plot

The film opens in 1964, with Martin Luther King Jr. receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. Upon returning to the United States, he and other leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), including Ralph Abernathy and Andrew Young, strategize to address the systemic denial of voting rights in the South. They choose Selma, Alabama, as the focal point for a campaign, due to the entrenched resistance of Dallas County Sheriff Jim Clark and the presence of segregationist Governor George Wallace. The narrative follows the initial failed march on Edmund Pettus Bridge, known as Bloody Sunday, where state troopers and local possemen violently attack peaceful demonstrators. After a second, symbolic march led by James Reeb, a Unitarian Universalist minister who is later murdered, King successfully petitions federal court for protection. The film culminates in the third, federally protected march from Selma to the state capital of Montgomery, and President Lyndon B. Johnson's address to a joint session of Congress, introducing what would become the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Historical context and accuracy

The film is set against the backdrop of the intense struggle for civil and political rights following the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While capturing the essence of the historical events, Selma has been noted for its dramatic compression and interpretation. A central point of discussion has been its portrayal of the relationship between Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon B. Johnson. The film depicts a contentious and sometimes adversarial dynamic, with Johnson initially resistant to King's push for immediate voting rights legislation. Some historians, including Mark Updegrove of the LBJ Presidential Library, argued this minimized Johnson's proactive role and longstanding commitment to civil rights. The filmmakers defended the portrayal as a necessary dramatization to highlight the pressure exerted by the movement itself. The film accurately depicts key figures like John Lewis of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Diane Nash, and Amelia Boynton Robinson, and the horrific violence of Bloody Sunday. It also includes the murder of James Reeb and the later killing of Viola Liuzzo, a Detroit homemaker.

Production and development

The project was initially developed by screenwriter Paul Webb, with Lee Daniels attached to direct at one point. Ava DuVernay was hired as director in 2013, becoming the first African-American woman to direct a film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. David Oyelowo was cast as Martin Luther King Jr., undergoing a significant physical and vocal transformation. A notable challenge was securing the rights to King's actual speeches, which led DuVernay and the actors to craft a powerful, paraphrased version of his oratory that captured their spirit. The film was produced by Plan B Entertainment, Harpo Productions, and Pathé, with a budget of $20 million. Principal photography took place in and around Atlanta, Georgia, and the Alabama State Capitol was recreated for key scenes. The Edmund Pettus Bridge sequences were meticulously staged to reflect the historical record.

Themes and political significance

Selma explores themes of moral leadership, strategic nonviolence, and the complex machinery of social change. It emphasizes the grassroots organization and immense personal sacrifice required to bend the arc of history. The film portrays the civil rights movement not as a singular event but as a sustained campaign involving clergy, students, and ordinary citizens. A significant theme is the tension between different tactical approaches within the movement, represented by the SCLC and the more youth-oriented SNCC. Its political significance was amplified by its release in late 2014, amid renewed national debates about activism and the Black Lives Matter movement. The film served as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and the ongoing debate over the role of the federal government in cinema, the film is a|Academy Awards and the 2015 Academy Awards and the 2014 Academy Awards and the 2014|Academy Award for Best### and the United States. The film's depiction of state-sponsored violence and the fight for voting rights resonated deeply with contemporary protests. It sparked discussions about the portrayal of historical figures and the role of artistic license in historical drama.

Cast and characters == Cast and characters

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