If you’ve read the groundbreaking, 1993 book, The Black Atlantic: Modernity & Double Consciousness, and wondered what a Q&A with its author Paul Gilroy would be like, wonder no more.
Released by Media Education Foundation in December of 2024, and directed by Sut Jhally, the 40-minute documentary title, The Black Atlantic: Modernity & Double Consciousness, is a perfect standing for a Q&A session with Dr. Gilroy. In fact, that is exactly what the film is, utilizing questions written against a black screen that are then eloquently answered by the salt-and-pepper-dreadlocked Dr. Gilroy.
In addition to close-up responses from the cultural studies scholar, the film is also sprinkled throughout with cutaway shots, mainly of historical black figures such as Allison Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Malcolm X, Alain Locke, and W. E. B. Du Bois to name a few.
Considering the format, any person without a working knowledge of the subject matter might find it hard to follow the topics discussed, especially because of the level of intellect at which Dr. Gilroy addresses them. Of course, those that are familiar with the topics discussed, and the book, will find the additional insights and elaborate, well-meditated answers provided both fascinating and thought provoking.
Regardless of a viewer's familiarity with subjects such as intersectionality, desegregated education, double consciousness, culture as a traveling phenomenon, or even criticism against nationality, one thing the documentary doesn’t address is why now. Without a prologue, or even the introduction of an interviewer from which the questions are being asked, there is no grounded footing to understand the context or relevance of this film being released 31 years after the original text.
While the release of the film is a head scratcher, the format and flow of its content is not. The documentary follows a smooth, well-paced structure, opening with background information showed against the backdrop of solemn, tone-setting music; then a transition into questions aimed at understanding the author’s reasons for writing the book; and finally a shift in focus to tackle more complex and (for some) socially uncomfortable topics around race, politics, and philosophy.
Previous knowledge of Dr. Gilroy’s work, and an advanced interest in intersectionality and the transnational concept of diaspora, will go a long way in digesting this two out of five star documentary. Though, if teaching the work of Dr. Gilroy - or the subjects that The Black Atlantic addresses - or if you’re interested in a deeper understanding (a more intellectual one that is) of the Transatlantic, afro experience, this film is a solid documentary resource for academic librarians, library education programs, and those who teach with film in order to advance their curriculum.
For those interested in licensing or purchasing The Black Atlantic: Modernity & Double Consciousness you can do so by visiting this link.
What public library shelves would this title be on?
This title would most likely be shelved in the Social Sciences, African Diaspora Studies, or Media Studies sections of a public library. It might also appear under Documentary Films or Black History collections.
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
Just as the book is assigned in courses on Cultural Studies and African American Studies, the film makes an ideal screening for those disciplines as well. It aligns perfectly with syllabi in Diaspora Studies, Postcolonial Studies, Sociology, and Political Theory, where Gilroy’s text is often foundational reading. Philosophy courses that tackle modernity and identity, and Media or Communication classes examining critical theory, would also benefit - especially when instructors want students to hear Gilroy elaborate on points only sketched in the book.
What type of classroom would this resource be suitable for?
The documentary is best suited to upper-level undergraduate or graduate classrooms in the liberal arts, where The Black Atlantic is already on the reading list. Seminar-style settings - history, sociology, or cultural-studies discussions - allow students to juxtapose the film’s conversational insights with the book’s dense prose, deepening comprehension.