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Selma (film)

Selma is a 2014 historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb. It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches initiated and directed by James Bevel[5][6] and led by Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, and John Lewis. The film stars actors David Oyelowo as King, Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson, Tim Roth as George Wallace, Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, and Common as Bevel.

Selma
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAva DuVernay
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyBradford Young
Edited bySpencer Averick
Music byJason Moran
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • November 11, 2014 (2014-11-11) (AFI Fest)
  • December 25, 2014 (2014-12-25) (United States)
Running time
128 minutes[2]
Countries
  • United Kingdom[3]
  • United States[3]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million[4]
Box office$66.8 million[4]

Selma premiered at the American Film Institute Festival on November 11, 2014, began a limited US release on December 25, and expanded into wide theatrical release on January 9, 2015, two months before the 50th anniversary of the march. The film was re-released on March 20, 2015 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the historical march.

The film was nominated for Best Picture and won Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards. It also received four Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director and Best Actor, and won for Best Original Song.[7]

Plot

In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) accepts his Nobel Peace Prize. Four black girls walking down stairs in the Birmingham, Alabama 16th Street Baptist Church are killed by a bomb set by the Ku Klux Klan. Annie Lee Cooper attempts to register to vote in Selma, Alabama, but is prevented by the white registrar. King meets with Lyndon B. Johnson and asks for federal legislation to allow black citizens to register to vote unencumbered, but the president responds that, although he understands Dr. King's concerns, he has more important projects. King travels to Selma with Ralph Abernathy, Andrew Young, James Orange, and Diane Nash. James Bevel greets them, and other SCLC activists appear. FBI director J. Edgar Hoover tells Johnson that King is a problem, and suggests they disrupt his marriage. Coretta Scott King has concerns about her husband's upcoming work in Selma. King calls singer Mahalia Jackson to inspire him with a song.

King, other SCLC leaders, and black Selma residents march to the registration office to register. After a confrontation in front of the courthouse, a shoving match occurs as the police go into the crowd. Cooper fights back, knocking Sheriff Jim Clark to the ground, leading to the arrest of Cooper, King, and others.

Alabama Governor George Wallace speaks out against the movement. Coretta meets with Malcolm X, who says he will drive whites to ally with King by advocating a more extreme position. Wallace and Al Lingo decide to use force at an upcoming night march in Marion, Alabama, using state troopers to assault the marchers. A group of protesters runs into a restaurant to hide, but troopers rush in and beat and shoot Jimmie Lee Jackson. King and Bevel meet with Cager Lee, Jackson's grandfather, at the morgue. King speaks to ask people to continue to fight for their rights. Harassing phone calls with a recording of sexual activity implied to be King and another woman lead to an argument with Coretta; she knows it is a fabrication, but the strain of constant death threats has taken its toll on her. King is criticized by members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

As the Selma-to-Montgomery march is about to begin, King talks to Young about delaying it for a day so he can spend some time with his family, but Young convinces King to let the march begin as scheduled without him, saying he can join later. The marchers, including John Lewis of SNCC, Hosea Williams of SCLC, and Selma activist Amelia Boynton, cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge and approach a line of state troopers who put on gas masks. The troopers order the marchers to turn back and, when the marchers hold their ground, the troopers attack with clubs, horses, tear gas, and other weapons. Lewis and Boynton are among those badly injured. The attack is shown on national television and the wounded are treated at Brown Chapel, the movement's headquarter church.

Movement attorney Fred Gray asks federal Judge Frank Minis Johnson to let another attempt at the march go forward. President Johnson demands that King and Wallace cease their activities and sends Assistant Attorney General John Doar to convince King to postpone the next march. Numerous white Americans, including Viola Liuzzo and James Reeb, arrive to join the second march. Marchers cross the bridge again and see the state troopers lined up, but the troopers turn aside to let them pass. King, after praying, turns around and leads the group away, which again draws sharp criticism from SNCC activists. That evening, Reeb is beaten to death by an angry white mob on a street in Selma.

After a hearing, Judge Johnson approves the march. President Johnson speaks before a Joint Session of Congress to ask for quick passage of a bill to eliminate restrictions on voting, praising the courage of the activists. The march on the highway to Montgomery takes place, and, when the marchers reach Montgomery, King delivers a speech on the steps of the State Capitol.

Cast

Production

Development

 
Director Ava DuVernay

On June 18, 2008, Variety reported that screenwriter Paul Webb had written an original story about Martin Luther King Jr. and Lyndon B. Johnson for Celador's Christian Colson, which would be co-produced with Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment.[31] In 2009, Lee Daniels was reportedly in early talks to direct the film, with financing by Pathé. Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner of Plan B joined as co-producers along with participation of Cloud Eight Films.[32] In 2010, reports indicated that The Weinstein Company would join Pathe and Plan B to finance the $22 million film,[33] but by the next month Daniels had signed on with Sony to re-write and direct The Butler.[34] In an interview in August 2010, Daniels said that financing was there for the Selma project, but he had to choose between The Butler and Selma, and chose The Butler.[35]

In July 2013, it was said that Ava DuVernay had signed on to direct the film for Pathé UK and Plan B, and that she was revising the script with the original screenwriter, Paul Webb.[36][37] DuVernay estimated that she re-wrote 90 percent of Webb's original script.[38] Those revisions included rewriting King's speeches, because, in 2009, King's estate licensed them to DreamWorks and Warner Bros. for an untitled project to be produced by Steven Spielberg. Subsequent negotiations between those companies and Selma's producers did not lead to an agreement. DuVernay drafted alternative speeches that evoke the historic ones without violating the copyright. She recalled spending hours listening to King's words while hiking the canyons of Los Angeles. While she did not think she would "get anywhere close to just the beauty and that nuance of his speech patterns", she did identify some of King's basic structure, such as a tendency to speak in triplets (saying one thing in three different ways).[39][40] DuVernay did not receive a screenwriting credit on the finished film due to a stipulation within Webb's original contract that entitled him to the sole credit.[37]

In early 2014, Oprah Winfrey came on board as a producer along with Pitt,[41] and by February 25 Paramount Pictures was in final negotiations for the US and Canadian distribution rights.[42]

On April 4, 2014, it was announced that Bradford Young would be the director of photography of the film.[43]

Casting

In 2010, Daniels (who was the attached director at the time) confirmed that the lead role of King would be played by British actor David Oyelowo. King was one of four main roles played by British actors (the others roles being those of King's wife, President Johnson, and Alabama Governor Wallace).[38] Actors who had confirmed in 2010 but who did not appear in the 2014 production include Robert De Niro, Hugh Jackman, Cedric the Entertainer, Lenny Kravitz, and Liam Neeson.[8][44][45][46][47]

 
 
Actor David Oyelowo (L), who portrayed Martin Luther King Jr., and Tom Wilkinson (R), who played president Lyndon B. Johnson

On March 26, 2014, British actor Tom Wilkinson was added to the cast to play US President Lyndon B. Johnson.[11] On April 7, it was announced that British actress Carmen Ejogo would play Dr. King's wife, Coretta Scott King.[9] On April 15, actor and rapper Lakeith Stanfield had reportedly joined the cast to play civil rights protester Jimmie Lee Jackson, who was shot and killed on a nighttime march and whose death led James Bevel to initiate the Selma to Montgomery marches.[25][48] On April 22, Lorraine Toussaint joined the cast to portray Amelia Boynton Robinson, who was very active in the Selma movement before SCLC arrived and was the first African-American woman in Alabama to run for Congress.[17] On April 25, it was announced that R&B singer Ledisi had been added to the cast to play Mahalia Jackson, a singer and friend of King.[19] On May 7, Andre Holland joined the cast to play politician and civil rights activist Andrew Young.[13] On May 8, Tessa Thompson was cast to play the role of Diane Nash, a civil rights activist and founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.[15] On May 9, Deadline confirmed that rapper and actor Common had been cast in the role of James Bevel, the Director of Direct Action and Director of Nonviolent Education of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, who was married to Diane Nash during the events of the film.[16] On May 16, Trai Byers was added to the cast to play James Forman, a civil rights leader active in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.[24] On June 20, Deadline reported that Colman Domingo had been cast to play SCLC activist Ralph Abernathy.[14]

On May 28, Stephan James was confirmed to be portraying the role of SNCC activist John Lewis in the film.[23] On May 29, Wendell Pierce joined the film to play civil rights leader Hosea Williams.[21] On May 30, Cuba Gooding Jr. was set to play civil rights attorney and activist Fred Gray.[28] On June 3, British actor Tim Roth signed on to play Alabama governor George Wallace.[26] On June 4, Niecy Nash joined the cast to play Richie Jean Jackson, a childhood friend of Coretta Scott King and the wife of Dr. Sullivan Jackson (played by Kent Faulcon), while John Lavelle joined to play Roy Reed, a reporter covering the march for The New York Times.[20][22] On June 10, it was announced that the film's producer, Oprah Winfrey, would portray Annie Lee Cooper, a 54-year-old woman who tried to register to vote and was denied by Sheriff Clark—whom she then punched in the jaw and knocked down.[10] Jeremy Strong joined the cast to play James Reeb, a white Unitarian Universalist minister from Boston who was murdered in Selma after the second attempt at the march.[27] On June 12, it was reported that Giovanni Ribisi joined the cast to play Lee C. White, an adviser to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson on strategies regarding the Civil Rights Movement.[12] Alessandro Nivola also joined to play John Doar, a civil rights activist and attorney general for civil rights for the Department of Justice in the 1960s.[29] Dylan Baker was added to the cast on July 17 to play FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who carried out extensive investigations of King and his associates.[18]

Filming

 
Historic photo of Alabama State troopers attacking civil rights demonstrators during the first attempt to march from Selma to Montgomery

Principal photography began May 20, 2014, around Atlanta, Georgia.[49][50] Filming took place around Marietta Square[51] and Rockdale County Courthouse in Conyers. The Conyers scene involved a portrayal of federal judge Frank Minis Johnson, who ruled that the third and final march could go forward.[52] In Newton County, Georgia, filming took place at Flat Road, Airport Road, Gregory Road, Conyers, Brown, Ivy and Emory Streets, exteriors on Lee Street, outside shots of the old Newton County Courthouse, shots of the Covington Square, and an interior night shoot at the Townhouse Café on Washington St.[53] In Alabama, scenes were shot in Selma, centering on the Bloody Sunday march to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and in Montgomery, Alabama, where, in 1965, King led civil rights demonstrators down Dexter Avenue toward the Alabama State Capitol at the conclusion of the third march from Selma.[54]

Music

Jason Moran composed the music for the film, marking his debut in the field.[55] Common (who plays James Bevel) and John Legend released the accompanying track "Glory" in December 2014, ahead of the film's theatrical release. A protest anthem, "Glory" refers to the 2014 Ferguson protests and earned both the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song[56][57] and the Academy Award for Best Original Song.[58] The soundtrack album Selma: Music from the Motion Picture was released digitally on December 23, 2014 and physically on January 13, 2015.[59]

Release

Selma premiered in Los Angeles at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre during AFI Fest on November 11, 2014,[60] after which it received a standing ovation.[61] It opened in limited release in the United States on December 25, 2014, including in Los Angeles, New York City, and Atlanta,[62] before its wide opening on January 9, 2015.[63]

The film was screened in the Berlinale Special Galas section of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2015.[64] It was released by Pathé and their distribution partner 20th Century Fox on February 6, 2015, in the United Kingdom. Paramount Pictures gave the film a limited re-release in the US on March 20, 2015, to honor the historical march's 50th anniversary, and another re-release in January 2021 to celebrate Black History Month.[65] Selma was released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 14, 2015.

Reception

Critical response

Selma received critical acclaim, with particular praise given to DuVernay's direction and Oyelowo's performance, though it was met with some criticism for its historical inaccuracies, which largely centered on the perceived vilification of Johnson and the omission of several prominent Jewish civil rights leaders.[66] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 99% based on 314 reviews, with an average rating of 8.50/10; the site's critical consensus reads: "Fueled by a gripping performance from David Oyelowo, Selma draws inspiration and dramatic power from the life and death of Martin Luther King Jr. – but doesn't ignore how far we remain from the ideals his work embodied."[67] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 80 out of 100, based on 52 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[68] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale.[69][70][71]

Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun Times praised the film as "an important history lesson that never feels like a lecture. Once school is back in session, every junior high school class in America should take a field trip to see this movie."[72] Joe Morgenstern, writing for The Wall Street Journal, wrote: "At its best, Ava DuVernay's biographical film honors Dr. King's legacy by dramatizing the racist brutality that spurred him and his colleagues to action."[73] A. O. Scott of The New York Times praised the acting, directing, writing, and cinematography, and wrote: "Even if you think you know what's coming, Selma hums with suspense and surprise. Packed with incident and overflowing with fascinating characters, it is a triumph of efficient, emphatic cinematic storytelling."[74]

Rene Rodriguez, writing in the Miami Herald, commented that:

Unlike most biopics about heroic men who shaped our history or helped bring about change (such as 2013's Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom or The Butler), Selma doesn't feel like freeze-dried hagiography.[75]

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone wrote: "DuVernay's look at Martin Luther King's 1965 voting-rights march against racial injustice stings with relevance to the here and now. Oyelowo's stirring, soulful performance as King deserves superlatives."[76] David Denby, writing for The New Yorker, wrote: "This is cinema, more rhetorical, spectacular, and stirring than cable-TV drama."[77] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post gave the film four out of five stars, and wrote: "With Selma, director Ava DuVernay has created a stirring, often thrilling, uncannily timely drama that works on several levels at once ... she presents [Martin Luther King Jr.] as a dynamic figure of human-scale contradictions, flaws and supremely shrewd political skills."[78]

Praise was not unanimous; writing about why Selma was not nominated for more Academy Awards, Adolph Reed Jr., political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, opined that "now it's the black (haute) bourgeoisie that suffers injustice on behalf of the black masses."[79]

Accolades

The film won and was nominated for several awards in 2014–15. In addition, Selma was listed on many critics' top ten lists.[80]

Historical accuracy

The historical accuracy of Selma's story has been the subject of controversy about the degree to which artistic license should be used in historical fiction.[81][82] The film was criticized by some for its omission of various individuals and groups historically associated with the Selma marches, while others challenged how particular historical figures in the script were represented.

Most controversy in the media centered on the film's portrayal of President Johnson and his relationship with King. According to people such as LBJ Presidential Library director Mark Updegrove[83] and Joseph A. Califano Jr., Johnson was a champion of civil rights legislation and a proactive partner of King, and they accused the film of falsely depicting Johnson as a reluctant, obstructionist political actor who had the FBI monitor and harass King.[84][85] Having served as Johnson's top domestic policy assistant (including on issues of civil rights) and as U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, Califano questioned whether the writer and director felt "free to fill the screen with falsehoods, immune from any responsibility to the dead, just because they thought it made for a better story".[86] Historian David E. Kaiser complained that the film's depiction of Johnson as obstructing Dr. King's civil rights efforts—when, in fact, he helped get important legislation passed—advances a false narrative that American whites are "hopelessly infected by racism and that black people could and should depend only on themselves".[87]

Andrew YoungSCLC activist and official, and later U.S. congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, and mayor of Atlanta—told The Washington Post that the depiction of the relationship between Johnson and King "was the only thing I would question in the movie. Everything else, they got 100 percent right". According to Young, the two were always mutually respectful, and King respected Johnson's political problems.[88] On television, Young pointed out that it was US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy who had signed the order that allowed the FBI to monitor King and other SCLC members and that it happened before Johnson took office.[89]

Some Jews who marched with King at Selma wrote that the film omits any mention of the Jews who contributed significantly to the civil rights movement, effectively “airbrushing” Jews out of the film, particularly Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who appeared in news photos at the front of the march with King.[90][91][92] However, several men with kippahs can be seen in the scenes of the second march, in the front row and in the second row, near to King.

Director DuVernay and US Representative John Lewis, who is portrayed in the film marching with King during the civil rights movement, responded separately that the film Selma is a work of art about the people of Selma, not a documentary. DuVernay said in an interview that she did not see herself as "a custodian of anyone's legacy".[93] In response to criticisms that she rewrote history to portray her own agenda, DuVernay said that the movie is "not a documentary. I'm not a historian. I'm a storyteller."[94] Lewis wrote in an op-ed for The Los Angeles Times: "We do not demand completeness of other historical dramas, so why is it required of this film?"[95]

In a scene-by-scene analysis of 18 films based on true stories, the visual blog Information is Beautiful gave Selma a score of 100%, indicating that every scene was evaluated as "True" or "True-ish", noting: "This movie painstakingly recreates events as they happened, and takes care to include everybody who was involved".[96]

See also

References

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External links

selma, film, selma, 2014, historical, drama, film, directed, duvernay, written, paul, webb, based, 1965, selma, montgomery, voting, rights, marches, initiated, directed, james, bevel, martin, luther, king, hosea, williams, john, lewis, film, stars, actors, dav. Selma is a 2014 historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches initiated and directed by James Bevel 5 6 and led by Martin Luther King Jr Hosea Williams and John Lewis The film stars actors David Oyelowo as King Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B Johnson Tim Roth as George Wallace Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King and Common as Bevel SelmaTheatrical release posterDirected byAva DuVernayWritten byPaul WebbProduced byChristian Colson Oprah Winfrey Dede Gardner Jeremy KleinerStarringDavid Oyelowo Carmen Ejogo Tom Wilkinson Giovanni Ribisi Alessandro Nivola Cuba Gooding Jr Tim Roth Oprah WinfreyCinematographyBradford YoungEdited bySpencer AverickMusic byJason MoranProductioncompaniesPathe 1 Harpo Films 1 Plan B Entertainment 1 Cloud Eight Films 1 Ingenious Media 1 Redgill Selma Productions 1 Distributed byParamount Pictures United States 1 20th Century Fox United Kingdom Release datesNovember 11 2014 2014 11 11 AFI Fest December 25 2014 2014 12 25 United States Running time128 minutes 2 CountriesUnited Kingdom 3 United States 3 LanguageEnglishBudget 20 million 4 Box office 66 8 million 4 Selma premiered at the American Film Institute Festival on November 11 2014 began a limited US release on December 25 and expanded into wide theatrical release on January 9 2015 two months before the 50th anniversary of the march The film was re released on March 20 2015 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the historical march The film was nominated for Best Picture and won Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards It also received four Golden Globe Award nominations including Best Motion Picture Drama Best Director and Best Actor and won for Best Original Song 7 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3 1 Development 3 2 Casting 3 3 Filming 3 4 Music 4 Release 5 Reception 5 1 Critical response 5 2 Accolades 6 Historical accuracy 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksPlot EditIn 1964 Dr Martin Luther King Jr of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference SCLC accepts his Nobel Peace Prize Four black girls walking down stairs in the Birmingham Alabama 16th Street Baptist Church are killed by a bomb set by the Ku Klux Klan Annie Lee Cooper attempts to register to vote in Selma Alabama but is prevented by the white registrar King meets with Lyndon B Johnson and asks for federal legislation to allow black citizens to register to vote unencumbered but the president responds that although he understands Dr King s concerns he has more important projects King travels to Selma with Ralph Abernathy Andrew Young James Orange and Diane Nash James Bevel greets them and other SCLC activists appear FBI director J Edgar Hoover tells Johnson that King is a problem and suggests they disrupt his marriage Coretta Scott King has concerns about her husband s upcoming work in Selma King calls singer Mahalia Jackson to inspire him with a song King other SCLC leaders and black Selma residents march to the registration office to register After a confrontation in front of the courthouse a shoving match occurs as the police go into the crowd Cooper fights back knocking Sheriff Jim Clark to the ground leading to the arrest of Cooper King and others Alabama Governor George Wallace speaks out against the movement Coretta meets with Malcolm X who says he will drive whites to ally with King by advocating a more extreme position Wallace and Al Lingo decide to use force at an upcoming night march in Marion Alabama using state troopers to assault the marchers A group of protesters runs into a restaurant to hide but troopers rush in and beat and shoot Jimmie Lee Jackson King and Bevel meet with Cager Lee Jackson s grandfather at the morgue King speaks to ask people to continue to fight for their rights Harassing phone calls with a recording of sexual activity implied to be King and another woman lead to an argument with Coretta she knows it is a fabrication but the strain of constant death threats has taken its toll on her King is criticized by members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee SNCC As the Selma to Montgomery march is about to begin King talks to Young about delaying it for a day so he can spend some time with his family but Young convinces King to let the march begin as scheduled without him saying he can join later The marchers including John Lewis of SNCC Hosea Williams of SCLC and Selma activist Amelia Boynton cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge and approach a line of state troopers who put on gas masks The troopers order the marchers to turn back and when the marchers hold their ground the troopers attack with clubs horses tear gas and other weapons Lewis and Boynton are among those badly injured The attack is shown on national television and the wounded are treated at Brown Chapel the movement s headquarter church Movement attorney Fred Gray asks federal Judge Frank Minis Johnson to let another attempt at the march go forward President Johnson demands that King and Wallace cease their activities and sends Assistant Attorney General John Doar to convince King to postpone the next march Numerous white Americans including Viola Liuzzo and James Reeb arrive to join the second march Marchers cross the bridge again and see the state troopers lined up but the troopers turn aside to let them pass King after praying turns around and leads the group away which again draws sharp criticism from SNCC activists That evening Reeb is beaten to death by an angry white mob on a street in Selma After a hearing Judge Johnson approves the march President Johnson speaks before a Joint Session of Congress to ask for quick passage of a bill to eliminate restrictions on voting praising the courage of the activists The march on the highway to Montgomery takes place and when the marchers reach Montgomery King delivers a speech on the steps of the State Capitol Cast EditDavid Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr 8 Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King 9 Oprah Winfrey as Annie Lee Cooper 10 Tom Wilkinson as Lyndon B Johnson 11 Giovanni Ribisi as Lee C White 12 Andre Holland as Andrew Young 13 Ruben Santiago Hudson as Bayard Rustin Colman Domingo as Ralph Abernathy 14 Omar Dorsey as James Orange Tessa Thompson as Diane Nash 15 Common as James Bevel 16 Lorraine Toussaint as Amelia Boynton Robinson 17 E Roger Mitchell as Frederick D Reese Dylan Baker as J Edgar Hoover 18 Ledisi Young as Mahalia Jackson 19 Kent Faulcon as Sullivan Jackson 20 Niecy Nash as Richie Jean Jackson 20 Corey Reynolds as C T Vivian Wendell Pierce as Hosea Williams 21 John Lavelle as Roy Reed 22 Stephan James as John Lewis 23 Trai Byers as James Forman 24 Lakeith Stanfield as Jimmie Lee Jackson 25 Henry G Sanders as Cager Lee Stan Houston as Sheriff Jim Clark Tim Roth as George Wallace 26 Nigel Thatch as Malcolm X Stephen Root as Al Lingo Michael Papajohn as Major John Cloud Jeremy Strong as James Reeb 27 Tara Ochs as Viola Liuzzo Cuba Gooding Jr as Fred Gray 28 Alessandro Nivola as John Doar 29 Michael Shikany as Archbishop Iakovos Martin Sheen 30 as Frank Minis Johnson uncredited Production EditDevelopment Edit Director Ava DuVernay On June 18 2008 Variety reported that screenwriter Paul Webb had written an original story about Martin Luther King Jr and Lyndon B Johnson for Celador s Christian Colson which would be co produced with Brad Pitt s Plan B Entertainment 31 In 2009 Lee Daniels was reportedly in early talks to direct the film with financing by Pathe Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner of Plan B joined as co producers along with participation of Cloud Eight Films 32 In 2010 reports indicated that The Weinstein Company would join Pathe and Plan B to finance the 22 million film 33 but by the next month Daniels had signed on with Sony to re write and direct The Butler 34 In an interview in August 2010 Daniels said that financing was there for the Selma project but he had to choose between The Butler and Selma and chose The Butler 35 In July 2013 it was said that Ava DuVernay had signed on to direct the film for Pathe UK and Plan B and that she was revising the script with the original screenwriter Paul Webb 36 37 DuVernay estimated that she re wrote 90 percent of Webb s original script 38 Those revisions included rewriting King s speeches because in 2009 King s estate licensed them to DreamWorks and Warner Bros for an untitled project to be produced by Steven Spielberg Subsequent negotiations between those companies and Selma s producers did not lead to an agreement DuVernay drafted alternative speeches that evoke the historic ones without violating the copyright She recalled spending hours listening to King s words while hiking the canyons of Los Angeles While she did not think she would get anywhere close to just the beauty and that nuance of his speech patterns she did identify some of King s basic structure such as a tendency to speak in triplets saying one thing in three different ways 39 40 DuVernay did not receive a screenwriting credit on the finished film due to a stipulation within Webb s original contract that entitled him to the sole credit 37 In early 2014 Oprah Winfrey came on board as a producer along with Pitt 41 and by February 25 Paramount Pictures was in final negotiations for the US and Canadian distribution rights 42 On April 4 2014 it was announced that Bradford Young would be the director of photography of the film 43 Casting Edit In 2010 Daniels who was the attached director at the time confirmed that the lead role of King would be played by British actor David Oyelowo King was one of four main roles played by British actors the others roles being those of King s wife President Johnson and Alabama Governor Wallace 38 Actors who had confirmed in 2010 but who did not appear in the 2014 production include Robert De Niro Hugh Jackman Cedric the Entertainer Lenny Kravitz and Liam Neeson 8 44 45 46 47 Actor David Oyelowo L who portrayed Martin Luther King Jr and Tom Wilkinson R who played president Lyndon B Johnson On March 26 2014 British actor Tom Wilkinson was added to the cast to play US President Lyndon B Johnson 11 On April 7 it was announced that British actress Carmen Ejogo would play Dr King s wife Coretta Scott King 9 On April 15 actor and rapper Lakeith Stanfield had reportedly joined the cast to play civil rights protester Jimmie Lee Jackson who was shot and killed on a nighttime march and whose death led James Bevel to initiate the Selma to Montgomery marches 25 48 On April 22 Lorraine Toussaint joined the cast to portray Amelia Boynton Robinson who was very active in the Selma movement before SCLC arrived and was the first African American woman in Alabama to run for Congress 17 On April 25 it was announced that R amp B singer Ledisi had been added to the cast to play Mahalia Jackson a singer and friend of King 19 On May 7 Andre Holland joined the cast to play politician and civil rights activist Andrew Young 13 On May 8 Tessa Thompson was cast to play the role of Diane Nash a civil rights activist and founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee 15 On May 9 Deadline confirmed that rapper and actor Common had been cast in the role of James Bevel the Director of Direct Action and Director of Nonviolent Education of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference who was married to Diane Nash during the events of the film 16 On May 16 Trai Byers was added to the cast to play James Forman a civil rights leader active in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee 24 On June 20 Deadline reported that Colman Domingo had been cast to play SCLC activist Ralph Abernathy 14 On May 28 Stephan James was confirmed to be portraying the role of SNCC activist John Lewis in the film 23 On May 29 Wendell Pierce joined the film to play civil rights leader Hosea Williams 21 On May 30 Cuba Gooding Jr was set to play civil rights attorney and activist Fred Gray 28 On June 3 British actor Tim Roth signed on to play Alabama governor George Wallace 26 On June 4 Niecy Nash joined the cast to play Richie Jean Jackson a childhood friend of Coretta Scott King and the wife of Dr Sullivan Jackson played by Kent Faulcon while John Lavelle joined to play Roy Reed a reporter covering the march for The New York Times 20 22 On June 10 it was announced that the film s producer Oprah Winfrey would portray Annie Lee Cooper a 54 year old woman who tried to register to vote and was denied by Sheriff Clark whom she then punched in the jaw and knocked down 10 Jeremy Strong joined the cast to play James Reeb a white Unitarian Universalist minister from Boston who was murdered in Selma after the second attempt at the march 27 On June 12 it was reported that Giovanni Ribisi joined the cast to play Lee C White an adviser to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson on strategies regarding the Civil Rights Movement 12 Alessandro Nivola also joined to play John Doar a civil rights activist and attorney general for civil rights for the Department of Justice in the 1960s 29 Dylan Baker was added to the cast on July 17 to play FBI Director J Edgar Hoover who carried out extensive investigations of King and his associates 18 Filming Edit Historic photo of Alabama State troopers attacking civil rights demonstrators during the first attempt to march from Selma to Montgomery Principal photography began May 20 2014 around Atlanta Georgia 49 50 Filming took place around Marietta Square 51 and Rockdale County Courthouse in Conyers The Conyers scene involved a portrayal of federal judge Frank Minis Johnson who ruled that the third and final march could go forward 52 In Newton County Georgia filming took place at Flat Road Airport Road Gregory Road Conyers Brown Ivy and Emory Streets exteriors on Lee Street outside shots of the old Newton County Courthouse shots of the Covington Square and an interior night shoot at the Townhouse Cafe on Washington St 53 In Alabama scenes were shot in Selma centering on the Bloody Sunday march to the Edmund Pettus Bridge and in Montgomery Alabama where in 1965 King led civil rights demonstrators down Dexter Avenue toward the Alabama State Capitol at the conclusion of the third march from Selma 54 Music Edit Jason Moran composed the music for the film marking his debut in the field 55 Common who plays James Bevel and John Legend released the accompanying track Glory in December 2014 ahead of the film s theatrical release A protest anthem Glory refers to the 2014 Ferguson protests and earned both the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song 56 57 and the Academy Award for Best Original Song 58 The soundtrack album Selma Music from the Motion Picture was released digitally on December 23 2014 and physically on January 13 2015 59 Release EditSelma premiered in Los Angeles at Grauman s Egyptian Theatre during AFI Fest on November 11 2014 60 after which it received a standing ovation 61 It opened in limited release in the United States on December 25 2014 including in Los Angeles New York City and Atlanta 62 before its wide opening on January 9 2015 63 The film was screened in the Berlinale Special Galas section of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2015 64 It was released by Pathe and their distribution partner 20th Century Fox on February 6 2015 in the United Kingdom Paramount Pictures gave the film a limited re release in the US on March 20 2015 to honor the historical march s 50th anniversary and another re release in January 2021 to celebrate Black History Month 65 Selma was released on Blu ray and DVD on April 14 2015 Reception EditCritical response Edit Selma received critical acclaim with particular praise given to DuVernay s direction and Oyelowo s performance though it was met with some criticism for its historical inaccuracies which largely centered on the perceived vilification of Johnson and the omission of several prominent Jewish civil rights leaders 66 On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 99 based on 314 reviews with an average rating of 8 50 10 the site s critical consensus reads Fueled by a gripping performance from David Oyelowo Selma draws inspiration and dramatic power from the life and death of Martin Luther King Jr but doesn t ignore how far we remain from the ideals his work embodied 67 On Metacritic the film has a score of 80 out of 100 based on 52 critics indicating generally favorable reviews 68 Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare grade of A on an A to F scale 69 70 71 Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun Times praised the film as an important history lesson that never feels like a lecture Once school is back in session every junior high school class in America should take a field trip to see this movie 72 Joe Morgenstern writing for The Wall Street Journal wrote At its best Ava DuVernay s biographical film honors Dr King s legacy by dramatizing the racist brutality that spurred him and his colleagues to action 73 A O Scott of The New York Times praised the acting directing writing and cinematography and wrote Even if you think you know what s coming Selma hums with suspense and surprise Packed with incident and overflowing with fascinating characters it is a triumph of efficient emphatic cinematic storytelling 74 Rene Rodriguez writing in the Miami Herald commented that Unlike most biopics about heroic men who shaped our history or helped bring about change such as 2013 s Mandela Long Walk to Freedom or The Butler Selma doesn t feel like freeze dried hagiography 75 Peter Travers of Rolling Stone wrote DuVernay s look at Martin Luther King s 1965 voting rights march against racial injustice stings with relevance to the here and now Oyelowo s stirring soulful performance as King deserves superlatives 76 David Denby writing for The New Yorker wrote This is cinema more rhetorical spectacular and stirring than cable TV drama 77 Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post gave the film four out of five stars and wrote With Selma director Ava DuVernay has created a stirring often thrilling uncannily timely drama that works on several levels at once she presents Martin Luther King Jr as a dynamic figure of human scale contradictions flaws and supremely shrewd political skills 78 Praise was not unanimous writing about why Selma was not nominated for more Academy Awards Adolph Reed Jr political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania opined that now it s the black haute bourgeoisie that suffers injustice on behalf of the black masses 79 Accolades Edit Main article List of accolades received by Selma film The film won and was nominated for several awards in 2014 15 In addition Selma was listed on many critics top ten lists 80 1st Sasha Stone Awards Daily tied with Boyhood and Gone Girl 1st James Rocchi TheWrap 1st Adam Chitwood Collider 2nd Christopher Orr The Atlantic 2nd Lisa Kennedy The Denver Post 2nd Wesley Morris Grantland 2nd David Edelstein New York 3rd Jocelyn Noveck Associated Press 3rd Lou Lumenick New York Post 3rd Joe Neumaier New York Daily News 3rd William Bibbiani CraveOnline 3rd Mark Olsen Los Angeles Times 3rd Gregory Ellwood HitFix 4th Peter Travers Rolling Stone 4th Owen Gleiberman BBC 4th Betsy Sharkey Los Angeles Times tied with The Imitation Game 4th Drew McWeeny HitFix 4th Inkoo Kang TheWrap 5th Chris Nashawaty Entertainment Weekly 5th A O Scott The New York Times 5th Elizabeth Weitzman New York Daily News 5th William Gross Austin Chronicle 6th Marlow Stern The Daily Beast 6th Bob Mondello NPR 6th Glenn Kenny RogerEbert com 6th Keith Phipps The Dissolve 7th Rafer Guzman Newsday 7th Anne Thompson Indiewire 7th Peter Hartlaub San Francisco Chronicle 7th People 7th Erik Davis Movies com 7th Ann Hornaday The Washington Post 8th Leba Hertz San Francisco Chronicle 8th Tasha Robinson The Dissolve 8th Justin Chang Variety 9th Todd McCarthy The Hollywood Reporter 9th Scott Foundas Variety 10th Alison Willmore BuzzFeed 10th Tom Brook BBC 10th Alonso Duralde TheWrap Top 10 ranked alphabetically David Denby The New Yorker Top 10 ranked alphabetically Claudia Puig USA Today Top 10 ranked alphabetically Calvin Wilson St Louis Post Dispatch Top 10 ranked alphabetically Carrie Rickey CarrieRickey com Best of 2014 listed alphabetically not ranked Manohla Dargis The New York Times Best of 2014 listed alphabetically not ranked Dana Stevens SlateHistorical accuracy EditThe historical accuracy of Selma s story has been the subject of controversy about the degree to which artistic license should be used in historical fiction 81 82 The film was criticized by some for its omission of various individuals and groups historically associated with the Selma marches while others challenged how particular historical figures in the script were represented Most controversy in the media centered on the film s portrayal of President Johnson and his relationship with King According to people such as LBJ Presidential Library director Mark Updegrove 83 and Joseph A Califano Jr Johnson was a champion of civil rights legislation and a proactive partner of King and they accused the film of falsely depicting Johnson as a reluctant obstructionist political actor who had the FBI monitor and harass King 84 85 Having served as Johnson s top domestic policy assistant including on issues of civil rights and as U S Secretary of Health Education and Welfare Califano questioned whether the writer and director felt free to fill the screen with falsehoods immune from any responsibility to the dead just because they thought it made for a better story 86 Historian David E Kaiser complained that the film s depiction of Johnson as obstructing Dr King s civil rights efforts when in fact he helped get important legislation passed advances a false narrative that American whites are hopelessly infected by racism and that black people could and should depend only on themselves 87 Andrew Young SCLC activist and official and later U S congressman ambassador to the United Nations and mayor of Atlanta told The Washington Post that the depiction of the relationship between Johnson and King was the only thing I would question in the movie Everything else they got 100 percent right According to Young the two were always mutually respectful and King respected Johnson s political problems 88 On television Young pointed out that it was US Attorney General Robert F Kennedy who had signed the order that allowed the FBI to monitor King and other SCLC members and that it happened before Johnson took office 89 Some Jews who marched with King at Selma wrote that the film omits any mention of the Jews who contributed significantly to the civil rights movement effectively airbrushing Jews out of the film particularly Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel who appeared in news photos at the front of the march with King 90 91 92 However several men with kippahs can be seen in the scenes of the second march in the front row and in the second row near to King Director DuVernay and US Representative John Lewis who is portrayed in the film marching with King during the civil rights movement responded separately that the film Selma is a work of art about the people of Selma not a documentary DuVernay said in an interview that she did not see herself as a custodian of anyone s legacy 93 In response to criticisms that she rewrote history to portray her own agenda DuVernay said that the movie is not a documentary I m not a historian I m a storyteller 94 Lewis wrote in an op ed for The Los Angeles Times We do not demand completeness of other historical dramas so why is it required of this film 95 In a scene by scene analysis of 18 films based on true stories the visual blog Information is Beautiful gave Selma a score of 100 indicating that every scene was evaluated as True or True ish noting This movie painstakingly recreates events as they happened and takes care to include everybody who was involved 96 See also EditCivil rights movement in popular culture Civil rights movement List of black films of the 2010s Selma Lord SelmaReferences Edit a b c d e f g Selma American Film Institute Archived from the original on November 16 2018 Retrieved October 26 2016 SELMA 12A British Board of Film Classification December 15 2014 Archived from the original on December 15 2014 Retrieved December 15 2014 a b Selma 2014 British Film Institute Archived from the original on April 7 2019 Retrieved July 31 2016 a b Selma 2014 Box Office Mojo Archived from the original on August 7 2020 Retrieved May 7 2015 Kryn Randy 1989 James L Bevel The Strategist of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement In Garrow David ed We Shall Overcome The Civil Rights Movement in the United States in the 1950 s and 1960 s Brooklyn NY Carlson Publishing Inc pp 517 536 ISBN 0926019023 Randy Kryn Movement Revision Research Summary Regarding James Bevel Archived March 3 2016 at the Wayback Machine published by Middlebury College October 2005 Golden Globe Birdman Boyhood and Imitation Game Top 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Screenwriting is the third career for Paul Webb Variety Archived from the original on June 7 2014 Retrieved June 3 2014 Jaafar Ali November 17 2009 Lee Daniels on march to Selma Variety Archived from the original on June 7 2014 Retrieved June 3 2014 Sergio May 4 2010 Lee Daniels Selma slated for fall shoot shadowandact com Archived from the original on November 28 2014 Retrieved June 3 2014 Fischer Russ July 30 2010 Lee Daniels Lines up The Butler Will it Edge Out Selma slashfilm com Archived from the original on November 3 2010 Retrieved June 4 2014 Smith Rob August 30 2010 Prince of Broadway An Interview With Lee Daniels blackfilm com Archived from the original on June 6 2014 Retrieved June 4 2014 The Sounds Space And Spirit Of Selma A Director s Take WABE January 9 2015 Archived from the original on January 18 2015 Retrieved January 15 2015 a b Sneider Jeff December 11 2014 Selma Screenplay Controversy Why Director Ava DuVernay Was Denied Credit The Wrap Archived from the original on October 24 2019 Retrieved April 17 2020 a b Fleming Mike Jr January 4 2015 Hard Road To Oscar Selma s Ava DuVernay On Why It Took 50 Years To Make A Major MLK Movie Deadline Archived from the original on January 7 2015 Retrieved January 4 2015 Appelo Tim Golloway Stephen December 16 2014 Oscars How Selma Filmmakers Made a Movie About MLK Without Using His Words The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on March 5 2020 Retrieved April 17 2020 Norris Michele December 23 2014 A Vital Chapter Of American History On Film In Selma NPR Archived from the original on June 23 2016 Retrieved April 4 2018 Shaw Lucas January 19 2014 Oprah Winfrey Joins Brad Pitt as Producer of Mlk Drama Selma thewrap com Archived from the original on June 14 2014 Retrieved June 4 2014 Fleming Mike Jr February 25 2014 Paramount To Make Mlk Pic Selma Oprah Winfrey Producing deadline com Archived from the original on July 4 2014 Retrieved June 4 2014 Mumin Nijla April 4 2014 Talented Cinematographer Bradford Young To Shoot Ava DuVernay s Upcoming Feature Selma indiewire com Archived from the original on July 14 2014 Retrieved June 4 2014 Freydkin Donna March 3 2010 Lee Daniels at the Oscars New film new shoes new shirt USA Today Archived from the original on December 23 2013 Retrieved June 3 2014 Fischer Russ March 8 2010 Lenny Kravitz and Hugh Jackman Join Selma Lee Daniels Next Film De Niro Confirmed slashfilm com Archived from the original on June 6 2014 Retrieved June 3 2014 Graham Bill March 11 2010 Hugh Jackman to Play Sheriff Jim Clark in Lee Daniels Upcoming Civil Rights Drama Selma collider com Archived from the original on December 18 2010 Retrieved June 3 2014 Rosenberg Adam March 23 2010 Lee Daniels Confirms Liam Neeson Cedric The Entertainer For Selma MTV Archived from the original on June 7 2014 Retrieved June 3 2014 Kryn in Middlebury Trumbore Dave May 20 2014 Production Begins on Paramount s Dr Martin Luther King Jr Biopic SELMA Starring David Oyelowo collider com Archived from the original on May 31 2014 Retrieved May 30 2014 Paramount and Pathe Start Principal Photography on Selma comingsoon net May 20 2014 Archived from the original on May 22 2014 Retrieved May 30 2014 Brett Jennifer May 23 2014 Selma filming closes Marietta Square streets accessatlanta com Archived from the original on May 31 2014 Retrieved May 30 2014 Selma filming in Olde Town Oprah expected to be on set The Newton Citizen May 30 2014 Archived from the original on June 3 2014 Retrieved June 3 2014 Dr MLK Jr movie Selma filming in Covington The Rockdale Citizen May 6 2014 Archived from the original on October 21 2014 Retrieved October 20 2014 Sutton Amber June 27 2014 Dexter Avenue revisits the 1960s as Selma begins filming in Montgomery al com Archived from the original on June 28 2014 Retrieved July 1 2014 Jason Moran Scoring Ava DuVernay s Selma filmmusicreporter com November 5 2014 Archived from the original on November 8 2014 Retrieved November 10 2014 Strecker Erin December 11 2014 Golden Globes John Legend Calls Selma Song A Labor of Love Billboard com Archived from the original on January 8 2015 Retrieved December 15 2014 Zo December 4 2014 John Legend amp Common Deliver The Anthemic Collaboration Glory okayplayer Archived from the original on December 13 2014 Retrieved December 15 2014 Newman Jason Glory Wins Best Original Song at Oscars Brings Cast to Tears Archived from the original on February 23 2015 Retrieved February 23 2015 Selma Music from the Motion Picture AllMusic Retrieved September 25 2022 McNary Dave October 31 2014 Oprah Winfrey s Selma Set for First Look at AFI Fest Variety Archived from the original on November 7 2014 Retrieved November 1 2014 Riley Jenelle November 12 2014 Selma Marches Into Oscar Race With Buzzing Debut Archived from the original on October 28 2017 Retrieved December 9 2017 Brett Jennifer December 24 2014 Timely Selma opens at two Atlanta theaters Christmas Day The Atlanta Journal Constitution Archived from the original on December 27 2014 Retrieved December 28 2014 Selma Release Date Paramount Dates MLK Jr Pic For Christmas Deadline com February 18 2014 Archived from the original on August 19 2014 Retrieved June 21 2014 Many World Premieres in the Berlinale Special 2015 Berlinale Archived from the original on January 21 2015 Retrieved January 17 2015 Evry Max March 18 2015 Paramount to Re Release Selma for 50th Anniversary of Historic March comingsoon net Archived from the original on March 20 2015 Retrieved March 22 2015 Selma Distorts History by Airbrushing Out Jewish Contributions to Civil Rights January 5 2015 Selma 2015 Rotten Tomatoes Fandango Media Archived from the original on August 24 2020 Retrieved May 8 2021 Selma Reviews Metacritic CBS Interactive Archived from the original on February 6 2015 Retrieved February 3 2015 CinemaScore Archived from the original on December 20 2018 Retrieved July 15 2015 A look at Selma at the box office Los Angeles Times March 5 2015 It earned an A plus grade from audience polling firm CinemaScore and wide praise from critics Pamela McClintock January 11 2015 Box Office Liam Neeson s Taken 3 Zooms to No 1 With Stellar 40 4M Debut The Hollywood Reporter Ava DuVernay s Selma places No 2 after expanding nationwide earning a coveted A CinemaScore Roeper Richard January 1 2015 Selma History Lesson Moves Gracefully from Brutality to Tenderness Chicago Sun Times Archived from the original on January 6 2015 Retrieved January 24 2015 Morgenstern Joe December 25 2014 Selma Review Honoring the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr The Wall Street Journal Archived from the original on January 10 2015 Retrieved January 24 2015 Scott A O December 24 2014 In Selma King Is Just One of Many Heroes The New York Times Archived from the original on June 28 2020 Retrieved January 24 2015 Selma Miami Herald Archived from the original on December 22 2015 Retrieved December 13 2015 Travers Peter December 23 2014 Selma Movie Review Rolling Stone Archived from the original on January 19 2015 Retrieved January 24 2015 Denby David December 15 2014 Selma and American Sniper Reviews The New Yorker Archived from the original on January 20 2015 Retrieved January 24 2015 Hornaday Ann December 23 2014 Sema movie review Humanizing Rev Martin Luther King Jr The Washington Post Archived from the original on January 24 2015 Retrieved January 24 2015 Reed Adolph January 26 2015 The Real Problem with Selma nonsite org Archived from the original on February 20 2015 Retrieved January 26 2015 Film Critic Top 10 Lists Best Movies of 2014 Metacritic Archived from the original on March 17 2020 Retrieved May 16 2015 Buckley Cara January 21 2015 When Films and Facts Collide in Questions The New York Times Archived from the original on January 29 2015 Retrieved January 29 2015 Labrecque Jeff January 3 2015 Fact Checking the Film Selma Entertainment Weekly New York City Archived from the original on January 20 2015 Retrieved January 20 2015 Historian questions accuracy of Selma Portland Press Herald Portland Maine Associated Press December 26 2014 Archived from the original on December 26 2014 Retrieved December 26 2014 Selma Movie lbjlibrary org Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library Archived from the original on January 22 2015 Retrieved January 21 2015 Updegrove Mark K December 22 2014 What Selma Gets Wrong Politico Archived from the original on February 20 2015 Retrieved February 22 2015 Califano Joseph A Jr December 26 2014 The movie Selma has a glaring flaw The Washington Post Archived from the original on January 25 2019 Retrieved November 24 2018 Kaiser David E January 9 2015 Why You Should Care That Selma Gets LBJ Wrong Time New York City Archived from the original on November 17 2018 Retrieved November 24 2018 Tumulty Karen December 31 2014 Selma sets off a controversy amid Oscar buzz The Washington Post Archived from the original on January 27 2015 Retrieved January 22 2015 Evan McMurry January 4 2015 MLK Aide Andrew Young Weighs in on Selma LBJ Controversy Mediate com Archived from the original on February 15 2015 Retrieved February 20 2015 Joseph Peniel January 10 2015 Selma Backlash Misses The Point NPR Archived from the original on October 4 2015 Retrieved October 2 2015 Snow Leida January 5 2015 Selma Distorts History by Airbrushing Out Jewish Contributions to Civil Rights The Forward Archived from the original on November 25 2018 Retrieved November 24 2018 Green Elon December 26 2014 The Rabbis of Selma Abraham Heschel and others marched with Martin Luther King Tablet Archived from the original on November 25 2018 Retrieved November 24 2018 Ifill Gwen January 8 2015 Director Ava DuVernay on sharing the story of Selma and deconstructing American heroes PBS Archived from the original on January 19 2015 Retrieved January 20 2015 Milliken Mary January 6 2015 Selma director makes history before awards are bestowed Reuters Archived from the original on January 20 2015 Retrieved January 20 2015 Lewis John January 16 2015 John Lewis tells his truth about Selma Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on January 19 2015 Retrieved January 20 2015 Based on a True True Story Scene by scene Breakdown of Hollywood Films Information Is Beautiful Archived from the original on November 18 2020 Retrieved July 28 2019 External links EditOfficial website Selma at IMDb Selma at Box Office Mojo Selma at Rotten Tomatoes Selma at Metacritic The 34 best political movies ever made Ann Hornaday The Washington Post Jan 23 2020 ranked No 21 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Selma film amp oldid 1126260980, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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