Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

CINE CLASS
" BLACKkKLANSMAN"

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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

Welcome to the Cine Class !

✓ You will watch the movie BlacKkKlansman.

✓ You will also have the opportunity to talk about the movie and its historical
background.

✓ During the activities, don’t hesitate to ask for help !

Some symbols will help you through the activities :

This category/symbol will give you some structures and vocabulary.

Difficulty :
 Easy (if you are not advanced in English).
 More advanced (challenge yourself !).

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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

PART I : BEFORE YOU WATCH THE MOVIE

I. The title : BlacKkKlansman

The title of the movie is a key-element to introduce and understand the main theme, and
to get the audience interested.

Activity 1 :

 Look at the title: « BlacKkKlansman ». Can you guess what it means ?

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II. The poster

The film poster is important to define and understand the main theme of the movie. It is
the first visual contact people have with a movie before watching it.
It gives important information about the plot.

Activity 1 :

 Look at the film poster of BlacKkKlansman. Identify and describe its visual elements
(forms, colors, characters, writings…).

Description of the film poster :

In the center, on the right/left, in The text, the fonts : what Characters, emotions,
the background / foreground... I does it indicates ? actions…
see / there is / there are...

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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

Activity 2 :

 In pairs, guess what the movie is about (its theme, the character(s), the
impression the poster gives you…).

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III. The trailer

The movie trailer is an additional element allowing people to have a first impression of
the film’s plot. Its goal is to attract the audience.

Activity 1 :

 Watch the trailer of BlacKkKlansman. What happens in the movie, according to

you ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQNZhs0QKq0

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Activity 2 :
 Now read the synopsis ; is it what you expected ? Why ?

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Synopsis :
In 1972, Ron Stallworth is hired as the first black officer in the Colorado Springs Police
Department. After reading about a local division of the Ku Klux Klan in the newspaper, he
calls them, and makes them believe he is white. But he realizes that he used his real
name, so he recruits his Jewish co-worker, Flip Zimmerman, to act like him to meet the
Klan members and to foil an upcoming attack...
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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

PART II : AFTER WATCHING THE MOVIE

I. The characters

A lot of characters appear in this movie. Let’s talk about them.

Activity 1 :

 Match the characters’ names with the correct image.

● ● ● ● ● ●

● ● ● ● ● ●

Ron Flip Patrice Walter David Felix

Stallworth Zimmerman Dumas Breachway Duke Kendrickson

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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

Activity 2 :

 Describe the physical aspect and the personality of those two characters from
BlacKkKlansman. Put the following words in the correct box.

White-skinned – brown eyes – funny – serious – coily hair – responsible – tall –

tenacious – strong – clever – leader – involved – obedient – dark-skinned.

Character Physical description Personality

Ron Stallworth

Flip
Zimmerman

 What else do you know about these two persons ?

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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

II. Extracts and Dialogues

Activity 1 :

 Match these dialogues extracts with the corresponding images. Check with the
person next to you.
EXTRACT 1
- We've been treated bad, talked
about as sure as you're born
But just as sure as it takes two eyes to
make a pair, ha
Brother we can't quit until we get our
share
Say it loud : I’m black and I’ m proud!
- Say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud !
EXTRACT 3 :
- Black Power also means that we must
unite, and we must organize and form
a base to fight racism, to f ight our
oppression. […] If I don’t fight for
myself, who will ? If not now, when ?
And if not you, who ? All power to all
the people !
- All power to all the people !
EXTRACT 2 :
- What’s your story ?
- Well, since you asked, I hate n*ggers,
I hate Jews. Spics and micks. Italians
and chinks. But my mouth to God's
ears, I really hate those n*gger rats,
and anyone else really that doesn't
have pure white Aryan blood running
through their veins !
EXTRACT 4 :
- I can bust a cap in your black ass if I
feel like it and nothing will be done
about it. I wish you two have been
blown up instead of white folks, get it?
- Oh, I do get it ! Chief, you got it ?
- Oh yes, I really really got it ! You’re
under arrest !

EXTRACT N° _____________ EXTRACT N° _____________

EXTRACT N° _____________ EXTRACT N° _____________

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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

Activity 2 :

 Who says what ? Find in these extracts who says those sentences and to whom.

EXTRACT OF THE DIALOGUES WHO TALKS ? TO WHO ?

- For you it's a crusade. For me it's a job.

- That’s us : Stallworth brothers !

- I think we need a new leader. I won’t make it

with the votes. Felix would love to be the one,
but we can’t let that happen. We need
someone articulate, someone who displays
real leadership qualities. I think it should be
you.

- I can always tell when I’m talking with a

n*gro. Take you for example : I can tell you’re
a pure Aryan white man from the way you
pronounce certain words.

- I don’t agree with your philosophies.

However, I’m a professional, so I will do
everything within my means and beyond to
make sure you’re protected.

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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

III. Press reviews and personal opinion

Activity 1 :
Here are some reviews from the newspapers. Read those reviews’ extracts. According
to you, what was the press reaction to this movie ? Why ?

« I think journalists liked/didn’t like this movie, because… ».

The New York Times

by A. O. Scott

Beyond its stranger-than-fiction, somewhat embellished real-life story — the actual Ron
Stallworth actually did infiltrate the Klan, and wrote a book about it — BlacKkKlansman is a
furious, funny, blunt and brilliant confrontation with the truth.

The Independent

by Geoffrey Macnab

Details are what make Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman so funny and so chilling. Spike Lee takes
a very matter of fact approach to telling the true story of detective Ron Stallworth. […] The
detective is played by John David Washington, who gives a tremendous performance. […]
BlacKkKlansman blends comic irony and outspoken polemic, but still works very effectively
as a crime drama. It’s funny, fast-paced and never loses its dramatic tension.

The Guardian
by Mark Kermode

Spike Lee’s Cannes Grand Prix winner is the director’s best work since his Oscar-nominated
documentary 4 Little Girls (1997). Combining a stylistic slickness with a controversial
potential, it’s a stranger-than-fiction tale (“based upon some fo’ real, fo’ real shit”). […] It’s
great to see this admirably unruly film-maker back at the height of his provocative powers.

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Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

Activity 2 :

Now, share your opinion about the movie : what do you think about it ? How did you
feel watching it ? Write your own critic of it.

Express your tastes Give your opinion

I like ... I think that …

I love … I liked … because ...
I don’t like … I loved … because …
I hate … I didn’t like ... because ...
I would have liked it if …

The cinematic genres The film’s characteristics

A drama (In) the beginning

A comedy (In) the middle
A romance (At) the end
A thriller The music
A horror film

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 Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

IV. Historical background of the movie :

Segregation & Ku Klux Klan
Activity 1 :

 Here are some articles’ extracts about the segregation and the fights for black
people’s rights. Read these extracts and answer the questions.

THE ORIGINS AND FIGHTS AGAINST SEGREGATION IN THE USA

After the American Civil War (1861-1865) and the abolition of the slavery, many people
(especially in the Southern states of the USA) still wanted to keep racist rules and systems.
So, they voted the Jim Crow laws, to deny Black people rights by enforcing segregation
(separation between black and white people in public places) and discrimination that led to
inequalities in their education and jobs (thus, financial and status inequalities).
By the mid-20th century, Black Americans began a fight for equality, that lasted between
the 1950s and the 1970s, called the Civil Rights Movement.
It started on December 1st, 1955 : a woman named Rosa Parks was on a Montgomery
bus. She refused to give up her seat to a white man, despite the segregation laws of the time.
She was arrested for it, so people started a year-long boycott of the bus company, and in
1956, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated seating was unconstitutional. In 1960, people
demonstrated through sit-ins in segregated eating places, then boycotting them, to force them
to accept Black people.
One of the most famous events of the Civil Rights Movement took place on August 28th,
1963 : the peaceful March on Washington, attended by 200,000 people. Its goal was to force
Civil Rights legislation and establish job equality for everyone. It was organized and attended
by Civil Rights leaders, like Martin Luther King Jr, who gave his famous speech “I have a
dream” (which became a slogan for equality and freedom). He encouraged non-violent action
to protest against segregation. On the other hand, Malcolm X, leader of the Black Panthers
(1966) supported violent actions to force the country to give more rights to Black citizens.
The Civil Rights Movement reduced legal inequality, through some laws, like the Civil
Rights Act (1964) which outlawed segregation in schools, public places or jobs. Although there
has been significant progress since the Civil Rights Movement, Black Americans still are
socially and economically disadvantaged.

Sources : https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zgb39j6/articles/zkkhp4j
https://www.britannica.com/topic/racial-segregation
https://www.britannica.com/event/American-civil-rights-movement
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zcpcwmn/revision/1

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 Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

• When was slavery abolished ? What laws were voted right after ? What did they state ?

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• How long lasted the Civil Rights Movement actions ? Quote two of them.

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• Quote two main figures of the Civil Rights Movement, and their actions :

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• What is Martin Luther King Jr. famous for ? Do you know more about him ?

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• What is the most significant law to end segregation, and when was is established ?

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 Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

Activity 2 :

 Here are some articles’ extracts about the Ku Klux Klan. Read these extracts and
answer the questions.
ORIGINS AND IMPACT OF THE KU KLUX KLAN

In 1865, a white supremacist organisation called the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was formed. The
first two words of the organization’s name derive from the Greek word “kyklos,” meaning circle
(“Klan” was added for the alliteration). Membership of the KKK was kept secret : Klan
members wore white robes and white pointed hats (which also covered their faces) to hide
their identities. The KKK leader was known as the ‘Grand Wizard’ : the first one was Nathan
Bedford Forrest. Racist members of the KKK carried out violent attacks against many Black
Americans, whom they assaulted and lynched. They targeted other groups of people too,
including Jews, Catholics and immigrants, to maintain white supremacy especially in Southern
states government and social life.
In 1870-71, the government passed the Enforcement Acts, laws which aimed to prevent
and prosecute crimes committed by KKK members. After this, the KKK’s power declined for
several years.
In 1915, the KKK re-emerged after the release of a film called ‘The Birth of a Nation’. Its
racist depictions of Black Americans attracted KKK members, and their popularity increased :
the membership exceeded 4 million people nationwide in the 1920s.
The civil rights movement of the 1960s also saw a surge of Ku Klux Klan activity, including
bombings of Black schools and churches, and violence against Black and white activists in the
South.
Various chapters of the KKK and White supremacist violence still exist in the 21st century.
Several events, including the 2015 Charleston church shooting, the 2017 rally in
Charlottesville, and the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting were all fuelled by white
supremacy and racism.

Sources : https://www.history.com/topics/reconstruction/ku-klux-klan
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kkk-founded
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ku-Klux-Klan
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/ku-klux-klan

• Where does the name “Ku Klux Klan” come from ?

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• When was the organization founded ? Who was the first “Grand Wizard” ?

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• Who are the main targets of the KKK’s attacks ?

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 Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

• How many members did the KKK count in the 1920s ?

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• Quote 3 recent events related to the KKK and/or White supremacists.

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• Regarding these articles, is the movie BlacKkKlansman loyal to the post-segregation

and the KKK history ? Why ? Why not ?
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Go further – For curious people…

Here are other documents to discover more about the movie and its main topic : the
segregation impact and the Civil Rights Movement in the USA, and the Ku Klux Klan.

 BBC World Service archive : audio podcasts and articles

• “BlacKkKlansman: The black man who took on the Klan” :
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-44457873
• “How Has The Ku Klux Klan Lasted So Long ?” : https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csv1bw
• “The origins of the Civil Rights Movement” :
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zgb39j6/articles/zkkhp4j
• “The fight for civil rights in 1950s and 1960s America” :
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zgb39j6/articles/zq9hp4j

 Documentaries :

• Spike Lee interview : "BlacKkKlansman and Fighting the Rise of Racism in the Trump Era", The
Daily Show : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8a2mzU07Uw
• “Jim Crow Laws and Racial Segregation in America | The Civil Rights Movement”, GPB Education :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nje1U7jJOHI
• “KKK: Then and Now”, National Geographic : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CTG58jIlNA
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 Léonie FRANCOIS - CineClass – BlacKkKlansman – June 2022.

Technical information about the movie

Director Spike Lee Music Terrence Blanchard

Scenario Spike Lee Genre Biographical comedy
and thriller
Distribution Blumhouse World Box $93 413 709
Production Office
Production 2018 Budget $15 000 000
year
Awards Oscars & Golden Length 135 minutes
nominations Globes 2018

Actors

John David WASHINGTON Ron Stallworth

Adam DRIVER Philip Zimmerman
Laura HARRIER Patrice Dumas
Topher GRACE David Duke
Corey HAWKINS Stokely Carmichael / Kwame Ture
Jasper PÄÄKKÖNEN Felix Kendrickson
Ashlie ATKINSON Connie Kendrickson
Ryan EGGOLD Walter Breachway
Robert John BURKE Chief Bridges

Awards and honors

• 2019 : Academy Awards (Oscars) & Golden Globe Best Movie / Drama Film.
• 2019 : Academy Awards (Oscars) & Golden Globe & BAFTA Best Director for Spike Lee.
• 2019 : Academy Awards (Oscars) & Golden Globe & BAFTA Best Supporting Actor for Adam Driver.
• 2019 : Golden Globe Best Lead Actor in a Drama Film for John David Washington.
• 2019 : Academy Awards (Oscars) & BAFTA Best Adapted scenario.
• 2019 : Academy Awards (Oscars) & Golden Globe Best Music.
• 2019 : Cannes Grand Prix for Spike Lee.

Source : https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=258805.html
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349662/

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