Film Review
ABOUT THE FILM
In 1997, Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman offered to pay for the senior prom at Charleston High School in Mississippi under one condition: the prom had to be racially integrated. His offer was ignored. In 2008, Freeman offered again. This time the school board accepted, and history was made. Charleston High School had its first-ever integrated prom - in 2008. Until then, blacks and whites had had separate proms even though their classrooms have been integrated for decades. Canadian filmmaker Paul Saltzman follows students, teachers and parents in the lead-up to the big day. This seemingly inconsequential rite of passage suddenly becomes profound as the weight of history falls on teenage shoulders. We quickly learn that change does not come easily in this sleepy Delta town. Freeman's generosity fans the flames of racism - and racism in Charleston has a distinctly generational tinge. Some white parents forbid their children to attend the integrated prom and hold a separate white-only dance. "Billy Joe," an enlightened white senior, appears on camera in shadow, fearing his racist parents will disown him if they know his true feelings. PROM NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI captures a big moment in a small town, where hope finally blossoms in black, white and a whole lot of taffeta. -David Courier, Sundance Film Festival
some qUotes From tHe cHaracters to expLore:
•“There are some hard-headed people in this town. I’m not just saying whites or blacks, I’m saying a little bit of both. This is a place of judgment, you are judged every day by every movement you make, by the people you talk to, it’s worse when it come to skin colour of how you are judged… If I were to jump on a camera, showing my face, it wouldn’t do any good. Just have some people disliking me, maybe disowning me.” ‘Billy Joe’ – Student who refused to be identified
• “My parents, they are racist, but I love them. I accept the fact that they are racist. I mean, I don’t completely
In 1997, Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman offered to pay for the senior prom at Charleston High School in Mississippi under one condition: the prom had to be racially integrated. His offer was ignored. In 2008, Freeman offered again. This time the school board accepted, and history was made. Charleston High School had its first-ever integrated prom - in 2008. Until then, blacks and whites had had separate proms even though their classrooms have been integrated for decades. Canadian filmmaker Paul Saltzman follows students, teachers and parents in the lead-up to the big day. This seemingly inconsequential rite of passage suddenly becomes profound as the weight of history falls on teenage shoulders. We quickly learn that change does not come easily in this sleepy Delta town. Freeman's generosity fans the flames of racism - and racism in Charleston has a distinctly generational tinge. Some white parents forbid their children to attend the integrated prom and hold a separate white-only dance. "Billy Joe," an enlightened white senior, appears on camera in shadow, fearing his racist parents will disown him if they know his true feelings. PROM NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI captures a big moment in a small town, where hope finally blossoms in black, white and a whole lot of taffeta. -David Courier, Sundance Film Festival
some qUotes From tHe cHaracters to expLore:
•“There are some hard-headed people in this town. I’m not just saying whites or blacks, I’m saying a little bit of both. This is a place of judgment, you are judged every day by every movement you make, by the people you talk to, it’s worse when it come to skin colour of how you are judged… If I were to jump on a camera, showing my face, it wouldn’t do any good. Just have some people disliking me, maybe disowning me.” ‘Billy Joe’ – Student who refused to be identified
• “My parents, they are racist, but I love them. I accept the fact that they are racist. I mean, I don’t completely