“Make no mistake, The Sleeping Negro is about Black rage and presents it in a raw, reflective, and emotional manner that refuses to be dismissed.” – Film Threat
“a feat implying many more to be accomplished in a budding career in American independent filmmaking.” – Cinephilia.ph
Watch the Chicago Theatrical Premiere of Skinner Myers’s existential drama The Sleeping Negro.
Confronted with a series of racially charged incidents, a young black man must overcome rage, alienation, and hopelessness in order to find his own humanity. The young black man, simply identified as “Man,” must resolve the personal meaning of his blackness when his white boss orders him to commit fraud to benefit the corporation. Struggling with an overwhelming sense of shame for going through with the illegal demand, Man seeks consolation by discussing his unease with a black former friend and his white fiancé. That does not go well…
Skinner Myers, USA, 2021, 72min
Festivals, Awards, & Nominations
Official Selection – Slamdance Film Festival 2021
Official Selection – African Diaspora International Film Festival 2021
Winner – FIPRESCI AWARD – International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg 2021
FILM SERIES
The Sleeping Negro is a part of the ADIFF Chicago Film Series 2022 running June 10-12. View full series.