"What is a Black Man?" Documentary

Created by Nunera Amun, a Documentary Filmmaker in Philadelphia 

"What is a Black Man?" is the intimate story of Alex, Michael, Uriah, and Clinton, four Black American teenage friends from marginalized communities in Philadelphia, who are racially and socially conscious hip hop artists. While capturing their authentic coming of age experience, Director, Nunera Amun, is compelled to confront the ways she stereotyped these four young men and address the root of her troubled relationship with Black men. 

Backstory: 
As an adult I found myself deeply burdened with a secret - I was a Black woman who feared Black men. Fueled by stereotypes I developed growing up on the South Side of Chicago, I avoided interactions with Black men at all cost - I was afraid to even make eye contact with most of them. At age 27, while working in a media training studio for Philadelphia students, I met four charismatic Black teenage boys who were creating rap music. They initiated me in conversation about music and asked questions about my work experience. 

I instinctively stereotyped them as young Black boys who were just goofing off and making music that was probably derogatory and meaningless. What I learned through our interaction was that their music was about personal experiences, black history, and love, amongst other things. Over the next few weeks, I had a chance to listen to their growing catalog of music, and I was in awe of their talent. I was also amazed at their interest in having conversations with me about life, society, and race. They asked me if I could make them a video that promoted their music. That video idea ultimately evolved into what is now “What is a Black Man?” a feature-length documentary chronicling the personal experiences of these four young men as they journey to become successful social and conscious rappers, and grow into Black men. 

Documentary Status:
We have captured over 50 hours worth of footage since shooting began in November 2017. We intend to continue filming up through December 2022 and need to acquire a wealth of resources in order to complete the project. 

The $25,000 will cover: 
Film equipment for each of the featured subjects and their families to use for filming inside their homes during Covid-19. 
A monthly stipend for each of the four featured subjects and their families from September 2020 - December 2020. 
Producer’s compensation for six months. 
Video Editor’s compensation for alternative cuts to be used for private feedback screenings, fundraising, and promotion. 
Sound Editor’s compensation for alternative cuts to be used for private feedback screenings, fundraising, and promotion. 

Distribution Plan: 
The weight of persevering through obstacles in an attempt to achieve a deep passion or goal is unveiled in each of the boy’s stories. Challenging oneself to reconcile their internal biases and judgements against a certain group of people is reflected in Nunera’s story. These central themes from the film are more specifically geared towards two audiences: teenagers who are battling internal and societal issues of racism, depression, poverty, and self-deprecation; and people who are coming to terms with the roots of their prejudices against people of color. 

“What is a Black Man?” is scheduled to be completed in January 2024. We intend to premiere the film at a major film festival in February 2024, during Black History Month. We will continue to screen it on the national festival circuit throughout the spring and summer of 2024.

To ensure that we reach the audiences where the film will resonate the most, we plan to screen the film at both public and private high schools in Philadelphia and Chicago, as well as community organizations in Philadelphia and surrounding regions. To date, we have developed relationships with five high schools and two community partners. 

Our ultimate goal for the film is to reach audiences across the globe via a distribution deal with a major streaming platform. We hope that this film sparks a healthy discussion about race relations in America, and helps to further perpetuate a culture where Black men feel comfortable speaking their truth and telling their own stories. 

All supporters will have the option to be added to our financial supporters list on the film’s website . 

Any supporter who donates $50.00 or more will also receive an invite to a private virtual screening this fall, where we will show a 40 minute sample of the film. Participants of this screening will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the sample and participate in an Q&A with the film’s director and featured subjects. 

Any supporter who donates $100.00 will also receive an acknowledgement in the film’s credits.