I imagine, in light of recent events, some of you have been watching various Othello adaptations. Here is a powerful short film about a young African American actor trying to establish himself in Japan - pigeon-holing himself into the token role of the Moor of Venice. There is so much talk about black-white relations, it was a breath of fresh air to see a different racial dynamic.
My thoughts
I wrote a perfectly respectful, reasonable review, and it wasn't posted the first time around on Amazon. Not sure who is policing these reviews. Anyway, take two.
This kind of movie should be shown in American acting schools. It touches upon the concept of American - and Western in general - hubris. It's not about an African American student going to Japan. It's about a Westerner going to an Asian country. I must say, I was not convinced when the young actor talking about being cast as a thug or a slave. He is too refined to be typecast in those roles. Though I have no trouble believing that many talented African American actors are held back from achieving their full dramatic potential by being pigeonholed into those token roles. All and all, it's 20 minutes well spent.
