Ava DuVernay and Oprah Sit Down for an Important Discussion About 13th Following Oscar Nomination

Have you seen 13th yet? It’s a harrowing documentary by director Ava DuVernay and is named after the 13th Amendment to the Constitution which states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” The film explores the history of racial inequality in the United States and how African Americans disproportionately fill U.S. prisons that alluding to a new form of slavery.

On Tuesday, the film nabbed an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary. Now, DuVernay is sitting down Oprah Winfrey to talk about her important film and its effects on those who’ve seen it. In the preview above, Oprah says the film helps answer the question “Why should I care about those [African American] people?” I can say the film definitely gives you a better understanding of the term “systematic oppression” because it’s not just some abstract thought. This is real and it’s happening today.

For those excited about the special,  13th: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay  premieres on Netflix on Thursday, January 26.

(via Deadline, image via screencap)

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