Out of Darkness gets a Film Threat review!
Original Article Written by Alan Ng
Excerpt from part 1:
As racial tensions simmer at an all-time high in this country, I certainly have many more questions than opinions on the subject because what I see and hear does not always make sense. But, as good documentaries should, Amadeuz Christ’s Out of Darkness not only answers many of my questions but broadens my understanding of the issues beyond what I imagined. The film rightfully challenged many of my original opinions and assumptions on being Black in America. The film delves into the untold history of African people and the systemic removal of their history for supremacist reasons. The documentary consists primarily of archival photos, films, and artifacts with a series of talking-head interviews with Black historians, anthropologists, and activists. Those interviewed include Dr. Umar Johnson, Tony Browder, Dr. Claud Anderson, Tim Wise, Prof. James Small, and Dr. Joy DeGruy.
"Amadeuz Christ’s Out of Darkness not only answers many of my questions but broadens my understanding of the issues beyond what I imagined. The film rightfully challenged many of my original opinions and assumptions on being Black in America."
The film’s central assertion is that European culture and supremacy have, over the millennia, actively and effectively removed the African origins and influence from history books. Why? Because much of what we consider “civilized” and “enlightened” today finds its roots in Africa. The world has systematically devalued the contributions of Africans by taking away their history and language while interfering with psychological factors involving African values, interests, and principles.
The experts interviewed throughout Out of Darkness go far back in time to the origins of man and the development of the Nile Valley Civilization. The Nile Valley created the first language (what Westerners refer to as hieroglyphics), the first use of paper, and the first documentation of events. Or what we now know as history. The valley was also the birthplace of the first government, a system of time, and the original calendar. It was also the first to discover the Earth was round and orbited the sun, unlike its Western counterparts. Africans were also the first to explore beyond their borders and travel across the Atlantic. Historians claim that Africans reached North America long before Native Americans.
Part: 2
I’ve only touched on the tip of the iceberg. Out of Darkness is about as comprehensive as a documentary can get on the subject. Before I go on, my approach to reviewing films, particularly issues-based documentaries, is to consider the quality of information and its presentation over whether I agree with the premise or conclusions. A documentary is not good because I agree with it or bad because I don’t. The fact that I wrestled minute-to-minute with the film’s well-over three-hour runtime says something.
"I’ve only touched on the tip of the iceberg. Out of Darkness is about as comprehensive as a documentary can get on the subject [of racism and white supremacy]."
I found myself absolutely fascinated by the ancient history of northern Africa and the development of the Nile Valley Civilization. It matched with the history of the origins of man from my theological studies in seminary. I could go on about the discussion of religion, but that’s hardly the point. The historical and anthropological information alone makes this worth watching.
Read original article here:
Read part 2 here: