Michael Jackson Song Lyrics Used as Dialogue to Investigate Urban Unrest

Nov. 25, 2014 - PRLog -- Muñoz Filmz (a division of Urban Velour Entertainment )

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Michael Jackson Song Lyrics Used as Dialogue Investigates Urban Unrest In New Web-Series

Los Angeles, CA- “Griot’s Lament”, an award winning new web-series uses Michael Jackson’s song lyrics as dialogue  to address social injustice.  Written and directed by Alex Muñoz (Sundance fellow; Spout; Riot; ), since it's release on Michael Jackson's birthday “Griot’s Lament” just passed the six million views mark and won the award for ‘Best Webisode’ at the Urban Mediamakers Film Festival (UMFF). Muñoz says “by [recontexualizating] the King of Pop’s lyrics, our ‘Griot’s Lament’ trilogy series revisits and comments on the killings of Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, and the innocent youths that fell prey to violence in South Chicago.

Is "They don’t care about us" shouted as a veiled response to the Rodney King beating and could it have also been a foretelling or foreshadowing of the tragic humanitarian failures incurred during Hurricane Katrina? One scene in the trilogy series is staged to replicate the horrific Rodney King beating, asking the questions, how far have we really come along since the LA Riots?  The series poses the question, as Jackson did repeatedly via his music:  How culpable are WE... when society cannot fully function in the realm of justice?

The character "Griot" is the conduit for Jackson’s often overlooked and under recognized political orientation. “Griot’s Lament” is made possible by Urban Velour Entertainment, Sandra Evers-Manly, private funders and a successful crowdfunding campaign via United States Artists and Hatchfund. Photo includes “Griot”, (a one man chorus) played by actor/producer Brandon Hirsch; “Salb” (a Sad & Lonely Boy) played by actor/associate producer Blake Young-Fountain; “Colette” (a grandmother looking for her grandson) played by actress/activist Fatimah Halim; and “Lupe” (a character inspired by La Virgen De Guadalupe) played by actress Yelba Osorio.

To view “Griot’s Lament Webisode III” visit: https://vimeo.com/110544427



To view “Griot’s Lament Webisode II”  visit: https://vimeo.com/104690610

To view “Griot’s Lament Webisode I”   visit: https://vimeo.com/99349490

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