CENTERPIECE FILM

This urgent documentary centers around some of the most viral videos of our time, like George Floyd’s murder (seen 1.4 billion times in 12 days, sparking protests in over 2,000 cities worldwide) and the livestreaming of Philando Castile’s killing. These cell phone videos changed the conversation around policing and accountability overnight. Millions watched the footage, but almost no one saw what came next.  Once the videos went viral those that did the filming  went into hiding to escape online trolls, media attention, and police surveillance — while Silicon Valley benefited from the explosion in user engagement their videos generated. 

#WhileBlack pulls the curtain back and follows citizen journalists like Darnella Frazier and Diamond Reynolds as their stories reveal how social platforms and corporations profit from viral Black trauma, while survivors endure lasting psychological and physical danger. #WhileBlack explores the costs to document the truth in real time, and what happens when everyday people become the record-keepers of history.

Filmmaker expected to attend.