Whose Streets?

The aftermath of the fatal shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, MO, on August 9, 2014, is the subject of filmmakers Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis's documentary. Whose Streets? is not intended as a sober, objective account, instead providing a visceral sense of the reaction to the incident on the part of Ferguson residents who protested against Brown's death and the unequal treatment they suffered at the hands of local authorities. The film is edited together from news footage and material shot by protestors on smartphones and video cameras, interspersed with excerpts from interviews with activists, including videographer David Whitt, who shoots footage for a project called Copwatch. At one moment, viewers see demonstrators facing off against lines of police armed with advanced riot gear, and in the next scene a man itemizing a collection of projectiles fired at the crowd. A TV interview with Wilson is juxtaposed with comments from Brown's mother describing how she was kept from her son's body, and reactions when a grand jury declined to indict Wilson. And denials of racism by the Ferguson police chief are contrasted with Justice Department findings concerning arrest records in the city. This “you-are-there” portrait conveys, in some measure, what it is like to live under systemic oppression, featuring citizens feeling anger and pain but also sad resignation. A searing, thought-provoking, and timely documentary, this is recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Sabaah Folayan and co-director Damon Davis, additional interviews (25 min.), and deleted scenes (7 min.). Bottom line: a fine extras package for this timely documentary.] (F. Swietek)