Raoul Peck brings James Baldwin's powerful gaze to the big screen

Originally published on February 24, 2017

James Baldwin changed Raoul Peck's life. 

After discovering the famous American author in his teens, Peck admits that it gave "structure to [his] thoughts and a new way of seeing the world." 

Peck has now taken those important words of Baldwin and transformed them into a documentary, called I am Not Your Negro.

"The concept of the film was, how do I bring those powerful words to a new audience," Peck explains, noting that every word spoken in the film is taken from Baldwin himself and presented through archival footage or narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. "I almost had to invent a new form of filmmaking, of documentary to tell a story solely and uniquely through Baldwin's words.

"I didn't want anybody to interpret it, or for me to be the spokesperson for Baldwin [...] You can't escape Baldwin's gaze."

— Produced by Jean Kim