As much as you want to deny it, Hollywood is an insulated machine that churns out the whitest of products. Though you’ll find more diversity in its movies nowadays, there is still a lack of variation in that old boy's club of film. Whilst the roles of women, homosexuals and transgender characters are utterly rife with negative stereotype that are constantly being perpetuated, racism is still a big offender for insulting characterisation and sparks typically horrid tropes that many are often blinded to because they believe racism doesn’t exist.
See, I’m white. I’m happily white because I know how lucky that makes me. Despite my rotund exterior, if I went for an interview for the same job in the film industry as someone of a "racial minority", I’d more likely get it. I have never suffered systematic racism, I haven’t been verbally abused or looked down upon, considered sub-human or shot by a protective system and murdered because I differ in skin tone. I can turn on the television and find my race everywhere, I can turn to these people and say “oh look, I’ve been represented” because I have, and even I know this trend of white-washing that has saturated our entertainment is wholly wrong.
People of every race exist. They aren’t a novelty or a trend. And yet when you look at the film industry, their representation and job prospects are slim. According to a 2013 report by The Hollywood Reporter, a disgustingly small 13% of Hollywood are “minority” actors, despite a massive proportion black people existing in highly filmed cities such as New York and LA alone (despite many films depicting them as white, white white), and the biggest race in the Globe being Asian. That percentage is even lower if they are behind the camera as directors. Starkly depressing, it just isn't okay. It’s not like there isn’t an abundance of talent either, that there aren’t countless ethnicities writing, directing and acting in films, all hoping for their big break. They are simply being told no.
One of the other reasons I’m bringing this up is because one satirical film is setting film festivals aflame ( most recently the BFI London Film Festival). And that’s Dear White People. This is a look not only at racial roles in film, bringing a mainly black cast into this Kickstarter funded film, but how casual racism flips through our society norms. Looking at the previous promos for the movie, it looks so insatiably on point that it must be seen by everyone (and I can imagine, there is a major storm coming from secret Neo Nazis who feel disgruntled that their bullshit has been called out). There’s also goodness coming from Marvel, who are casting “minorities” in prominent roles as Captain America and Spider-Man that could seep into our blockbusters.
But there is a lot of work. A lot. That is undeniable. Films need to learn how to encompass everyone in whatever film they are doing instead of sidelining different races that don’t shimmer like mash potatoes. There is a revolution happening, not only for the rise of inclusive cinema for women, but for all races, too. And hopefully, if those rebelling against an industry run by stuffy, old white men win (and what they are winning is basic human rights in the Hollywood industry), we can expect some truly epic movies that stem from a wider and more inclusive system, representing the entire globe and spectrums of humanity.