On Selma

Biographies can be tiresome. They chart the life of well-known people who have predictably had difficult lives (otherwise why make a film about them) where such difficulties seem to always be drink, drug or sex related. Or a mix of all three. Selma has a little of this, nudging at the theme of infidelity, but mostly remaining focused on Martin Luther King’s fight in Selma and march to Montgomery.

The last biography of a ‘great American’ was Steven Spielberg’s 2012 Lincoln. A historical film, beautifully shot, about an important issue and with an incredibly strong central performance. Lincoln was, unsurprisingly major award bait. Selma has all the same characteristics yet instead of Spielberg the director is Ava DuVernay. Instead of Daniel Day Lewis, the central performance is David Oyelowo. Do the unknown names mean a lack of award recognition? Who knows, but Selma should feel a little hard done by, as this is a powerful piece of cinema. Oyelowo is fantastic, as good in the scenes where he says nothing as he is when giving speeches.

Whether the historical or biographical statements are accurate is not relevant here as the message is important and pertinent to life in America today for black people. It is sad that when watching Selma we can relate the events to those happening today, yet it ensures the film is even more relevant.