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Kevin Wilmott captures the wit of the well-informed American historian
in "CSA: Confederate States of America," a poetically accurate
mockumentary film depicting the history of the States had the
confederate won the civil war -- [insert whirlwind thoughts and sparked
interest here]. It's a great hook. But the film is not simply a "what if
the confederate won the war, let's make up scenarios" type of
embellishment but more of a "let's take actual historic events and just
substitute the word 'black' with the word 'slave'" consequently implying
that we would still theoretically be a slave nation.
Wilmott challenges impressions of freedom and history in this breakout
film. Mixing real historic events with imagined, the cocktail he serves
up in this provocative masterpiece provides a lucid view on slavery in
America. By incorporating slavery into modern, everyday experience,
Wilmott captures the soul of slavery contextualized in a manner too
close-to-home for some. The intrigue of "CSA" is that it reminds us that
until quite recently America was content with inhumane
genocide/cruelty/racial supremacy/cultural death aka: slavery. The film,
presented as a BBS (faux BBC) made-for-TV documentary is segmented
between breaks for commercial ads for products and services like:
The Slave Shopping Network (buy a set, or break them up!); Darkie’s
Toothpaste or dining at the Coon Chicken Inn! (the latter of the three
were actual products. In fact, Coon Chicken Inn closed down in the
1980s).
Midway through
the film, instinctual differentiation between fact and fiction is
abandoned (except for the neurotically literal). The film welcomes a
surrender to the most effective viewing method--watching without
analysis. Either way, watch it.
Strip away the ridiculousness of the world presented in "CSA" and you're
left with a story of human triumph and experience. Sure, it's humorous
to see a clip from a faux D.W. Griffith film featuring Harriet Tubman
leading a black-faced Abe Lincoln through the underground railroad,
telling him: "We both niggers now, Mr. President." But at some point
"CSA" reflects inner enlightenment that cancels out reason. The film
opens with a George Bernard Shaw quote: "If you’re going to tell the
truth, you’d better make them laugh. Otherwise, they'll kill you."
Who would have a mark out on Wilmott’s head? He replies without
hesitation, "the confederates," known to us as the Ku Klux Klan. Some
would show up to screenings just because of the title. Of the attendees,
some would leave in the middle. Others would stay to the end--upset, but
educated. Even some black audience members were upset by the buffoonery
represented in the film. But in the end, Wilmott reveals to his audience
that many of the seemingly absurd events in the film were actually based
on real incidents and products. Truth vanquishes opinion or reaction and
brings human consciousness back home. "Humanizing even your enemies is
the way to healing," says Wilmot. "The Ku Klux Klan is a cult that needs
to be deprogrammed."
Making a film like this was no easy task. Rejected by Hollywood, Wilmott
took the idea for "CSA" back home to Kansas where he is a professor of
film studies at the University of Kansas. He raised the money from the
ground all the way up to Sundance Film Festival, where Spike Lee and IFC
fell in love and joined the film back in 2004. "It took five years from
the start of this film to get it distributed." But Wilmott never quit.
At the age of ten, little Kevin was stocking shelves at the local
grocery store. He's no stranger to hard work. He knew from an early age
that hard work pays off in the end. "You have to define success on your
own terms," says Wilmott. Wilmott’s goal has always been to make a film
that challenges people. "CSA" is the kind of film that resonates.
Be enlightened.
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