The first full trailer for the James Baldwin-inspired documentary, “I Am Not Your Negro” arrives online Thursday, Jan. 5.
The film, directed by Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck, focuses on Baldwin’s unfinished book of the same name and recounts the lives and assassinations of his friends, activists Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
Because of Baldwin’s untimely death in 1987, there were only 30 pages available, but Peck still has managed to turn out a feature-length documentary. The Haitian politician-turned-director deftly captures the racial angst and tension in America during the height of the Civil Rights era, helped in no small measure by the narration of Hollywood superstar and living icon Samuel L. Jackson.
“I Am Not Your Negro” had a successful stint on the festival circuit and will be available in 25 markets Feb. 3. Amazon Studios has exclusive streaming rights, so the film will only be available on Amazon and the PBS documentary series “Independent Lens.”
