"Detroit": Chronicle of a Night of hatred and violence

The opinion of "World" – not to manquerL'histoire what Detroit says must be heard. Fifty years after case of Algiers Motel, which occurred in early days of urban violence that ravaged in 1967 capital of American automobile industry, need for this narrative is necessary.

In months following story of Kathryn Bigelow's film, one of greatest American journalists devoted a book to it. John Hersey had become famous in May 1946, with publication of his report on bombing of Hiroshima by United States, text that occupied a whole number of New Yorker.

That incident at Algiers Motel in Detroit, Michigan, on night of July 25 to 26, 1967, decided Hersey to take pen is like a guarantee. that of obligation that re was n to draw attention to circumstances of death of three young African Americans in hands of law enforcement.

A concern for accuracy

Half a century later, when a movement was called Black Lives Matter ("black lifes are of importance"), demonstrating that this truth, to regain a dear term to authors of Declaration of Independence of United States, is not self evident ("Obvious to herself"), Kathryn Bigelow and her screenwriter Mark Boal recount martyrdom of Fred Temple, Aubrey Pollard and Carl Cooper, three dead of Algiers Motel, with a concern for accuracy that keeps m away by strength of traps and comforts of Hollywood narrative.

Read Portrait (in "M"): Kathryn Bigelow, a warrior in Hollywood

Without worrying about spectators ' comfort, Detroit portrays what appears to be a burr- loss of control of a handful of men, policemen, national guards, responsible for keeping control of a piece of town-to be defined Methodically as inevitable product of a system.

The filmmaker allowed only an aestic gesture: inscription of this fact varied in great history which was n played in streets of Detroit, that of riots but also that of triumph of African American music, n embodied by artists of Motown label (contraction of Motor town, " city of car", nickname of Detroit). Speaking's canvas, Kathryn Bigelow produces a film whose violence without mercy exceeds amount of suffering shown on screen.

Kathryn Bigelow produces a film whose violence without mercy exceeds amount of suffering shown on screen

After a prologue of naive images that tell great migration of Afro-Americans from south to north, Detroit is staging lighting of wick that will trigger explosion: in a clandestine game circle, a police descent interrupts a party Organized on occasion of return of two black soldiers from Vietnam. The ordinary brutality of roundup does not pass that evening, triggering an open confrontation between policemen and neighbors descended en masse in street.

Two days later, city is in a state of siege. A concert by Martha and Vandellas was interrupted by order of authorities and musicians of dramatics, a group that was to succeed interpreter of dancing in street, found re, in street, not to dance, but to run in hope of escaping To mass arrests, decided according to color of skin of passers-by.

Read survey (in "M"): Detroit, vivid memory

Unambiguous racism

The lead singer of Dramatics, Larry Reed (Algee Smith), and factotum of group, Fred Temple (Jacob-Timore), find refuge at Algiers Motel. In one room, two young white girls on loose, Julie Hysell (Hannah Murray) and Karen Malloy (Kaitlyn Dever) have fun with young African Americans. Observing National Guard advancing on street as in a paddy field, one of m shoots with an alarm gun towards military.

Soon motel is invested by National Guards and by a police patrol, who receive reinforcement of a vigil posted in vicinity, only black of group of law enforcement, Melvin Dismukes (John Boyega).

Under direction of police officer Krauss (Will Poulter), only character whose name was changed, search operation of white bullet shooter turns into a long torture session. African Americans are beaten, three are murdered. Young white women are humiliated, assaulted.

Read report ( World Festival): Kathryn Bigelow at heart of race riots

At his first appearance, Agent Krauss sighs from his patrol car "y were dropped," watching looters and passers-by of ghetto he crosses. This thought that would be benevolent will unfold later in a speech of unambiguous racism, which proceeds from hatred of difference as well as condescension.

The most terrifying in meticulous narrative of this night of violence, it is not so much cruelty of tormentors as certainty that y have of ir impunity.

A just Anger

Between victims and se policemen who have freed mselves from any rule is figure of Melvin Dismukes, vigil, descendant of se servants whom slaves of fields despised for ir compromise with Masters. John Boyega, only actor to work a complex material, makes it a fascinating character, which limits damage without succeeding in preventing worst.

The film embraces both a system, its inevitable deviations and its inability to reform

As for British Will Poulter, his childish physique exacerbates repulsion that one feels towards policeman Krauss. In front, Algee Smith traces descent to underworld of an artist promised to a great future who is seen to be robbed of both chance that presented himself and esteem he had of himself. This long sequence, built as a judicial reenactment, animated by just anger, occupies more than half of film. He follows equally distressing spectacle of denial of justice against survivors, families of victims.

Read Chronicle: "The debate on legitimacy of artist to seize subjects that are beyond his culture is staggering"

Detroit embraces both a system, its inevitable deviations and its inability to reform. A system that is supposed to govern lives of all, whatever community you belong to.

In this regard, question that a French spectator will ask is not so much wher Kathryn Bigelow, Anglo-Norwegian, was entitled to write a page of history that cruelly marked black community, than to wonder where are films that take Arm--body history of cities that are kissing, clashes between ir inhabitants and police, on this side of ocean.

"Detroit," an American film by Kathryn Bigelow. With Algee Smith, John Boyega, Will Poulter, Hannah Murray (2:23). On WEB: Marsfilms.com/film/detroit, Detroit. Movie and Facebook.com/DetroitMovie