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BAFTA Apologizes After N-Word Incident at Awards
24 Feb
Summary
- BAFTA issued an apology after an N-word slur was unintentionally uttered during the ceremony.
- The incident involved nominees Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo.
- The series 'Dreaming Whilst Black' highlights the UK film industry's racial insensitivity.
BAFTA has issued an apology to nominees Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo after an unintentional racial slur was uttered during the recent awards ceremony. The incident occurred when John Davidson, an executive producer with Tourette's syndrome, experienced involuntary outbursts. This controversy has brought attention to BAFTA's delayed response and the broadcast's failure to edit out the slur.
The situation also underscores broader issues within the U.K. film industry concerning racial insensitivity, a core theme explored in the Showtime series 'Dreaming Whilst Black,' now available on Paramount+. Co-creator Adjani Salmon stars as a Black British Jamaican filmmaker navigating an industry not designed for him.
'Dreaming Whilst Black' began as a web series in 2016, born from frustration with industry access. Salmon and collaborators crafted the narrative around Kwabena, balancing his career aspirations with his personal life. The series, inspired by the Windrush Generation and Salmon's own family history, depicts the uphill battle Black artists face.
Season two of 'Dreaming Whilst Black,' which aired in the U.K. last year, follows Kwabena as he lands a job on a historical drama. However, he discovers that even from within, his voice is not welcomed, a sentiment some argue BAFTA's handling of the incident echoed. Salmon describes this as moving from a "Black glass ceiling" to a "glass cliff."
Salmon explains the "glass cliff" as structural inequality disguised as personal feeling, drawing inspiration from scholars on social injustice. He emphasizes the series aims to share reality without re-traumatizing audiences, finding balance through dedication to their community.
Despite industry challenges, Salmon, a BAFTA winner himself, notes progress in Black representation, though he desires greater normalization. He hopes for a future where Black British filmmakers achieve the success of figures like Will Packer in the U.S. or Rapman with 'Supacell,' envisioning a time of "intentionality with our everydayness."
