‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ celebrates diverse culture and heritage, but also a history of racial inequality
I grew up with this movie. I watch it with my grandmother. She is the only person I know who still watches this movie. There’s very few people I’ve met who know the movie and it’s the thing that keeps me alive now. I got to meet some of the producers and filmmakers who made this movie. I got to speak to some of the cast. We even got some time to hang out with each other, which is the first time I’ve ever done that. [laughs] As far as I know, when I first started seeing this movie, I was probably eight or nine or 11 years old. I remember seeing it because my parents rented it to me. I still remember having to hide my copy of the movie and my parents didn’t want me to start watching it. [laughs] At the time, the movie was probably only on on Disney at the time, and it wasn’t even very good. I think my mom still has all of the DVD’s from that time when the movie got to be like this, you know like 15-year-old me is just like, “OH MY FUCKING GOD! THIS IS SO BAD!” [laughs] Because I was like a kid at the time, I remember there was a scene where they’re fighting with these giant snakes. I remember watching that, because that’s what people still fight with now. That’s what the main character is fighting with, but it’s like a bunch of giant fucking snakes. [laughs]
I love that it is a metaphor. It’s like, the movie is going to take you on this journey in your life and it’s a journey about acceptance. It’s a journey towards something more positive.
