A few years ago, as Green Book took the stage to collect its Academy Awards, there was anger in the room. The movie had undergone its share of controversy. From Viggo Mortensen using the "N" word in a press conference to the screenwriter tweeting anti-Muslim sentiment, the family of Don Shirley being outraged, and the general malaise people had for the portrayal of race relations. One of the loudest arguments I heard over and over again was that the movie played into the worst of "White Savior" tropes. It's been brought to my attention that outside of Hollywood, this trope is not often recognized by regular moviegoers. I want to bring the idea of the White Savior trope to the forefront of today's screenwriting conversation and talk about how we can all be better if we acknowledge this trope exists and steer clear from using it by broadening our horizons and consulting other points of view. Let's dive in. — (@) What's a 'White Savior' Movie? A 'White Savior' movie is a movie where the story is about a white character stepping in to help a person or people of color from their struggles. While a lot of these stories are period pieces used to talk about racism, some of them are contemporary stories meant to be about deeper understanding, but actually, enforce whiteness as a sort of "Messiah" to a class considered to be an "Other." Often, these saviors lead people of color against white antagonists, proving that...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Saturday, 9 March, 2024