4 Little Girls (1997)

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4 Little Girls was released on July 9, 1997, in the USA. The documentary film was produced by 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks. The movie was directed by Spike Lee. The film was nominated for an Oscar award in 1997[1].

Plot

In September 1963, four little girls came to a Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama for early choir practice. However, the four little girls did not practice as they were got bombed within the church. The four little girls are Denise McNair, Carole Rosamond Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Addie Mae Collins. The incident became big news as the activists of the black power movement exposed how racism affects the children's lives. The activists including Martin Luther King Jr., Fred Shuttlesworth, Diane Nash, and Andrew Young. Their dead body is shown in the movie. Then, the film portrays how the lives of the 4 little girls in the eyes of their families, parents, siblings, and friends. We can see those through family photo albums, their life story from their parents and friends, and the atmosphere that was brought to the documentary film. In the end, we can feel the vanished children's situation, and commemorating the incident where innocent lives died due to racism[2].

Controversy

The film not only exposes the incident, but it shows how they struggle against racism. In one scene, it is shown that Denise wants to eat a sandwich, however, they could not eat one as they have black skin. Also, we can see that George Wallace, the governor of Alabama, stands in front of the schoolhouse door and prohibits any African American students to enter the schoolhouse. Moreover, Bull Connor, the police commissioner, tries to resist the demonstration using a white color armored vehicle[3].

References