Little Brother: Manchild in the Promised Land

This fifth chapter in the Little Brother documentary short series about African-American boys in different U.S. cities is set in Tucson, where several youths are interviewed by filmmaker Nicole Franklin concerning their views about love, family, success, racial profiling, and future plans. The teens Franklin speaks with are clearly worried about living a life full of potential tripwires, including dealing with police or being racially pre-judged. Franklin's younger, pre-adolescent interviewees also talk about their experiences of being stereotyped in such seemingly innocuous situations as going into a convenience store. It's heartbreaking to hear a child say that in such moments it's better to just walk away and get on with his day—part of the price of being black in America. The Tucson location offers a layer of rich and varied African-American history beyond slavery, as the area was partly founded by black soldiers and conquistadors. Several of the boys here watch a historical re-enactment involving a black soldier, a viewing experience that seems to resonate. A timely film, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)