MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > Should EVERY Film/Show Feature a POC?

Should EVERY Film/Show Feature a POC?

posted 2 years ago by HarveyManFredSin (4877)
3 replies | jump to latest

My apologies if this thread is regarded as provocative or 'political', but I ask the question in good faith, and prompted by the apparent presence of POC in many period dramas of late (I don't mean Bridgerton or Cleopatra, where there is a narrative/historical/political intent behind the prominent presence of Black characters). I'm thinking more of shows like Tom Jones and Great Expectations, when previous adaptations, presumably taking the assumption that POC were an overwhelming minority at the time these novels were set, featured an invariably all-white cast. Is this in response to new rules from AMPAS and Bafta regarding the need to ensure diversity in order for a film/show to be recognised for award contention?

Once again, I'm not here to criticise or attack. Only to interrogate, although I appreciate that some people find the simple act of asking questions to be offensive enough.

[–] Skavau (15993) 2 years ago

No, they shouldn't. If they want to, and it makes sense - that's up to them. Shouldn't be mandated.

[–] HarveyManFredSin (4877) 2 years ago

Agreed. It shouldn't be mandated. But there's also the pressure and opprobrium filmmakers face when they decide to be more authentic to the period and locale they're telling a story in, and thus decide to feature an all-white, or predominantly white cast.

I'm not offended by the presence of POC in period pieces, but I do wonder if these films/shows are truly reflective of the era/locale they're depicting, or were the all-white films/shows of old the ones in the wrong? And, yes, I recognise that POC have existed in Europe for centuries, but that isn't my argument. They were, and still, an overwhelming minority.

All that said, I personally want to see more stories featuring POC, but, once again, I always appreciate those stories to be as authentic as possible to the era and the community they're depicting, whether they're white, Black, brown, male, female, gay or straight.

Surely we can have diversity *and* authenticity.

[–] samoanjoes (58587) 2 years ago

Everyone is a person of colour.