Street Fighting Men
United States • 1h 41m
Directed by Andrew James • Documentary • With James "Jack Rabbit" Jackson, Deris Solomon, Minister Malik Shabazz, Derionna Watkins, Lorraine Ray • 2020 • 101 minutes
In a rapidly changing America where mass inequality and dwindling opportunity have devastated the black working class, three men fight to build something lasting for themselves and future generations.
Shot over three years in the neighborhoods of Detroit, Street Fighting Men is a story of hard work, faith and manhood in a community left to fend for itself. The film takes a deep, observational dive into the lives of three African American men: retired cop Jack Rabbit, who continues to patrol the mean streets as a citizen; Deris, who has made bad choices in the past but wants to further his education and serve as a role model for his baby daughter; and Luke, who labors mightily as he rehabs a dilapidated house while putting together a meager living.
Borrowing from the visual language and philosophy of neorealism, and featuring a beautiful score by Detroit-based musician Shigeto, Street Fighting Men is an emotionally powerful, visually compelling journey into the forgotten neighborhoods of Detroit; a place that embodies the greatest challenges we still face as a country.
"A portrait of black resilience and perseverance — without sentimentality — that still offers a way out of the dark." —April Wolfe, Film Critic & Writer
—Winner - Spirit Award, Brooklyn Film Festival
—Winner - Special Jury Award, Lake County Film Festival
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