'Black and Blue' director Dylan Avery says America's law enforcement system is broken
Celebrated filmmaker Dylan Avery, who rose to prominence after directing the renowned 911 film 'Loose Change', is back with possibly the most confronting and powerful documentary of the year — 'Black and Blue'.
With his latest work, Avery tackles the confronting topic of police brutality, racial issues and social justice in America. 'Black and Blue' is a riveting documentary about police brutality that follows sensitive cases including a DJ beat up by off-duty DEA agents, a man arrested for filming a police officer, and many others as they fight for justice for their loved ones.
Featuring Method Man, Charlie Murphy, and Flavor Flav, the documentary aims to bring the discussion on police culture to the fore and hold the system, rather than individual officers, accountable for the unreasonable use of force, numerous cover-ups, and engaging in double standards when it comes to bringing victims of such brutality to justice.
Meaww spoke the critically acclaimed director, who gave a vivid, boots-on-the-ground perspective on ground realities surrounding the issue.
What motivated you to make this documentary?
Well, I had already seen on Facebook and on the Internet a rise of articles about police brutality and injustice, people being beaten up, being shot. I noticed a larger trend of it happening more and more. And while that was happening, I had run-ins of my own with LA Deputy Sheriffs when I wasn't doing anything wrong but these guys were patrolling a small middle-upper-class neighborhood and were bored, so they were driving around, looking for things to do. In between what was happening in the country and my local run-ins with the law, the trial of Kelly Thomas happened. I was driving to an editing job in Malibu every day, so I would put on KPCC and listen to the trial. The officers were eventually found not guilty and so I, along with many people, was surprised, shocked and angry. I couldn't go to the first rally because I was driving across the country at the time, but when I got back to LA, I went to the second rally. That's when the whole process kind of started and kicked off.