The film is based on the personal experiences of the writer-director Gerard McMurray, and was inspired by Robert Champion, the FAMU drum major killed in a hazing ritual in Orlando, Florida. Its not a coincidence that the Divine Nine organizations were founded during the Jim Crow era. How black Utah Jazz players have embraced Salt Lake City, The King is crowned: The true and actual arrival of LeBron James, The Undefeated 44: African Americans who shook up the world, Canada is now one of the worlds top sources of elite prep basketball recruits, beef between two hip-hop artists and the beef goes beyond the actual song as in Remy Ma vs. Nicki Minaj, the University of Oregon strength coach was suspended after pushing three players too hard, thus forcing them to be hospitalized. It happens all the way from non-criminal prankish kind of activities, things like making them wear a childs backpack, all the way up to beatings and physical torture.. I can go from the boardroom to happy hour without changing. Theres a burning curiosity to get a glimpse into the black culture and community. After seconds of waiting the doctor tells them that Frank died of a ruptured aorta artery. The Burning Sands Trilogy Omnibus. While others may deem it as a negative, I actually liked the way the film ended. Gerard McMurray, a producer on acclaimed filmFruitvale Station, directed and co-wrote Burning Sands, which also stars Oscar-nominated actress Alfre Woodard (Luke Cage), Steve Harris (The Practice), and Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight). Dri Fit, UPF 50+, Moisture Wicking, Breathable, Recycled Material, Wrinkle Free Collar. It was a very creative and collaborative process.. Among black fraternities and sororities, there is the saying, Its harder once you make it across the burning sands. Armando Villa (2014): Died after being forced to hike barefooted through the Angeles Mountains It just means you went through a tough process. Zurich takes out his cell phone and calls his dad, realizing why his father never joined the fraternity, and the movie ends. The term crossing the burning sands describes pledging a Greek-letter organization and crossing over from being a pledge to becoming a full member. I absolutely love everything about it. Before the catastrophic BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico all earth was thr. Replace art with better scans where needed. I learned what it was like to run a company after running my chapter. As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film?Offended? Mark Sands Organizer Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber, United Kingdom Created February 13, 2023 Funerals & Memorials Report fundraiser Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help Easy Donate quickly and easily. Black fraternities and sororities are without question a huge part of the black college experience now as it was for most of the 20th century. My favorite actors Denzel Washington and Michael Shannon are people who go there. . The producer/s of the film Burning Sands is/are Stephanie Allain, Jason Michael Berman, Reginald Hudlin, Mel Jones. Laci Jordan, University of Alabama '11, Delta Sigma Theta. Production: A Netflix presentation of a Mandalay Pictures, Homegrown. In January, the University of Oregon strength coach was suspended after pushing three players too hard, thus forcing them to be hospitalized. Burning Sandsdirectorsaid that the film was influenced by the death of Robert Champion and wants to use it to start a conversation about a call to action to stop hazing. Its an incredibly told story.. FAMU settled a lawsuit for $1.1 million and issued an apology about the incident. Comfortable sweater keeps me warm without overheating. Six convicted of hazing and providing alcohol to a minor. Because two Virginia State University students died while being hazed four years ago, administrators were all too happy to have McMurray use the schools campus for the movie. However, Burning Sandsdid expand the representation of BGLO in film to a certain extent, by incorporating older fraternity members into the story line in order to demonstrate the organizations emphasis on lifelong, active membership, rather than simply focusing on pledging as other films have. Its the idea of tradition, that its been done for X amount of time, even if its a criminal act, even if its bizarre behaviour, its part of that group. Not only is hazing illegal, but the practice has claimed the lives of far too many young men and women across college campuses all over America, including historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Starring: Trevor Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Trevante Rhodes. We produce the most black engineers and doctors. NYLON 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. It currently holds an 87% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The ensuing student debate focuses on the documents authenticity, and whether or not that matters if what it conveys is true. This may be the only peek into Greek life for some people, and you don't want it to be blanketed by stereotypes. Embarrassed? It was triggering. Id be remiss to say that the film was entirely falsified; Gerard McMurray didnt make up the violent initiations depicted in Burning Sands. As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film? Praneet Karki (2015): Died of exertion during extreme. But the filmmaker disputes that. Theres no permanent solution hazing has always been with us and it will continue to be with us in 100 years.. Of course, there was a physical element that Id never experienced before, but it was the mental challenges that made pledging hard. I do think it gave a great general glance at life at these institutions and orgs. BGLO is one of them, and we all join for various reasons. All rights reserved. When then-President Barack Obama announced his My Brothers Keeper initiative, all Divine Nine organizations pledged their support and extended their resources. How do you feel about the way in which Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) and the HBCU experience were portrayed in this movie?I believe BGLOs and the HBCU experience was portrayed as very superficial. Trusted Your donation is protected by the Burning Sands By Frank Touby Rated 5.00 / 5 based on 1 review Before the catastrophic BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico all earth was threatened by the oil disaster in the Persian Gulf over 700 oil wells were set on fire by Saddam Hussein. What do you think the film did well?I liked the part of the film where the pledges reached out and called the older, more successful brothers. To view the request, visit the Prospector Saloon in . While Burning Sands, which premiered this month on Netflix, is an intense, well-acted look at hazing in the world of black Greek fraternities, it never quite seems to be sure what it wants to. The film set out to address hazing in BGLOs, and it didbut with exaggerations and inconsistencies. My response: If you simply see it as that, then it will be just that. Series: Burning Sands. Like any other movie, some things are true, and others are dramatized. If creating a call to action about hazing was the motive, then why was the rest of the film pretty negative as well? Not everyone is Greek, and not everyone wants to be Greek. From Zurichs alienation from his father (whose texts he wont return), to his strained relationship with the girlfriend (Imani Hakim) who disapproves of his frat dreams, to his feelings of obligation to the dean (Steve Harris) who helped get him a spot on Lambdas pledge roster, Burning Sands uses standard narrative conventions to forward a subtle, but powerful, point about racial equality. He lived and died, quite literally, for his profession as an actor, but there was a side that few outside celebrity circles knewFrank Sutton the cultured Ivy League grad and serious student of theatre history. During the movie, two Frederick Douglass quotes are repeated: Its easier to build strong children than to repair broken men, and, If there is no struggle, there is no progress. These quotes are on opposite ends of the spectrum, yet still meet at a crossroads, showing the dichotomy of black Greek life. They feature NPC towers, Alliance buildings, and outside of The Great Empire, Resource Villages. The pledges in the film were hazed, appeared to have been taught nothing during their process, and seemed to have shallow reasons for wanting to join in the first place. Hank Nuwer, author of Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking, explains to i why students willingly take part in hazing rituals. Hes written for and/or appeared in Forbes, Inc., CNN, MSNBC, Fast Company and serves as a contributor for The New Kiss104.1FM morning show in Atlanta. Hazing deaths in recent years Michael Walker (2016): Died of alcohol poisoning. Read reviews from world's largest community for readers. 'Burning Sands' And The Death Of The Carefree Frat Film The dark side of the boys' club by Grant Rindner March 10, 2017 For a certain subset of society, there used to be no purer form of. After seconds of waiting the doctor tells them that Frank died of a ruptured aorta artery. In his new Netflix movie, Burning Sands, director Gerard McMurray ( Fruitvale Station) takes an unflinching look at college hazing. Get this thrilling post-apocalyptic series and see what lies Across Burning Sands. When Reggie Lee joins defense contractor Frontierza, the company's work on advanced hibernation technology for sleeper colony ships seems the perfect career starter. I think it accurately looked at some of the current obstacles we have to solving these problems: the silence of the current pledges, the blind eye some professors and admin turn for sake of "tradition" or not wanting to get too involved, current members not seeing the problem because "they went through it, so the pledge can do," students on the outside of the process feeling the need to just go with the flow even when they see their friends suffering. Zurich is joined in his fraternity quest by four mates, only two of whomangrier Frank (Tosin Cole) and nerdy Square (DeRon Horton)are really defined by McMurray and Christine Bergs screenplay. 2023 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. What do you think the film did well?Even with its inconsistencies,Burning Sands was definitely filmed very well, capturing the mental and physical abuse of being hazed. I actually received a 4.0 GPA while I was pledging. Such a notion, however, is soon contrasted with Professor Hughess favorite Douglass quote: Its easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. Whether hazing is thus a positive or a negative factor in a mans maturation remains, to some extent, open to interpretation. In 2012, he was named one of 125 top alumni in Florida A&M University's 125-year history. I would add more, though. My grandfather, uncle and cousin are members of Kappa Alpha Psi (Rev. You can make a man (or woman) work hard for something and allow them to keep their dignity. The film was a good eye-opener for prospective, current, and alumni BGLO members. Just like one of them $80 shirts from Dick's or the PGA Store. What is a human life worth after a hazing death? But questions remain about the world: Who created the monstrosities that roam the lands? Nuwer notes that these traditions arent exclusive to fraternities and sororities. I wanted to show young black men at a black college and the challenges they go through on the path to manhood.. That topic is of similar concern to the latest original feature from Netflix, Burning Sands, albeit in a manner thats as unexpected as it is intriguing. Browse 678 burning sands stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. There are some who are attracted to the parties and boisterousness of particular organizations. The pledges balance their time in class with English professor Hughes and their new fraternity life of parties, sorority girls and dating. Co-starring Moonlights Trevante Rhodes in yet another film about African-American masculinity, Gerard McMurrays dramawhich premiered at Januarys Sundance Film Festival, and is based in part on his own experiencesconcerns five African-American college freshmen going through Hell Week, a hazing rite of passage required to gain admittance to prestigious Lambda Phi fraternity. They want people to see it, especially students, and think about the repercussions of hazing, McMurray said. Considering that this film was not just for BGLO audiences, those who aren't members of an org may still be confused about certain aspects of the experience. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Most took plea deals. What would you have changed about the film?There needed to be more light shed on the different aspects of the pledge process and the members already in the organization. Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first black sorority, would be founded two years later in 1908 (Michelle Obama and tennis great Zina Garrison are members). How do you feel about the way in which BGLOs and the HBCU experience were portrayed in this movie? They inspired other young blacks to go to college and even provided college scholarships to high school students. LBS Promo. His last words to Apollo are "GO! Getting the definition across is really important.. Featuring stars Trevor Jackson,. From the time I played little league sports to the time I entered corporate America, Ive experienced some form of hazing. I like going to places where I dont go everyday but there definitely has to be balance., Burning Sandsbegins streaming Friday, March 10 on Netflix, 270 Best Movies Directed By Women of the 21st Century, Best Netflix Horror Series: Scary TV Series To Watch, The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Features Sad Bo-Katan, a Bad Baby, and a Pirate Problem, The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of March 2023, The Mandalorian Creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni on Grogus Force Training and the Darksabers Significance, Copyright Fandango. Judges in the US have been in fraternities, most of our presidents have been in a fraternity and theres leniency, theres a feeling that these are good kids. While the movie is named after the term "crossing the sands," it doesn't have much to do with the phrase's meaning. 100 Best Free Movies on YouTube (March 2023), 100 Best Movies Written by Women of All Time. Dalton Debrick (2014): Died of alcohol poisoning while pledging tothe Alpha Sigma Phi colony. One of the great things about pledging for me was that I learned the true meaning of humility, which has taken me far in my life and career. Branden Bufford, Howard University '11, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. What was your initial reaction after watching Burning Sands?I was disgusted by the process, but also not naive to that the fact that somenot allof these activities still take place. It is important that we are the ones telling our stories and telling them truthfully, but we also need to be cognizant that eyes are on us and we should be telling stories holistically. What about the positive forums or the community service or the leadership? Copyright Fandango. Leticia Hunt, Tuskegee University '12, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. What do you think the film did well?I think people went into the film wanting to be entertained by the HBCU/BGLO experience, but instead, they were educated. It's completely meaningless. He said that the film was inspired by the death of a student and that he wants to. The first contract I ever negotiated wasnt in corporate America but via my chapter. The Great Empire (aka GE or simply . According to CNN, the last three defendants were convicted of manslaughter and are serving time in prison. Like records, traditions are meant to be broken, especially when it involves violence that can lead to serious injury and death. Together, they try to draw strength from each other during the trials orchestrated by their elders, led by president Edwin (Rotimi), callous heavyweight Big Country (Christian Robinson), and smooth operator Fernander (Rhodes). For me, it meant that I completed one of the most arduous treks of my life. We posed the question: Have you been hazed?. Watermarked PDF. With that being said, each member organization of the Divine Nine takes hazing seriously and comes down pretty hard on those caught. The Burning Sands, also known in the Rokugani tongue as the Yakeru yoni Atsui, was the name given to the great arid area to the north and west of the Empire of Rokugan. What was your initial reaction after watching Burning Sands? The ongoing rumors about his passing have been deemed true. Is Burning Sands streaming? For prospective initiates, it's okay to stand up for what is wrong. If youve seen season 2 of American Crime,you know the 20-year-old actor has a commanding presence. What was your initial reaction after watching Burning Sands? I was mostly let down by the lack of visibility of black sororities in the movie. What do you think the film did well?I believe that it gave the viewer a look into a very exclusive world. Apollo then goes on, in mourning and shock, and by the end of the book, Riordan closes with Apollo remembering the words of Jason; promising himself to . Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP and IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, who died in. She did not disclose the cause or time of the death, but asked for "privacy of . How do you feel about the way in which BGLOs and the HBCU experience were portrayed in this movie? It's tough to watch because I was in the shoes of those pledges, but it's something I vowed to never partake in once I was a member. Presenting an accurate representation of Black Greek life and the HBCU experience is almost impossible if you're not from this world, so it's interesting to note that McMurray is an alum of Howard University and a member of Omega Psi Phi. In order to be a part of BGLO, there are academic requirements that must be met, meaning while there is a possibility your grades could slip during the pledging phase, there is still a large portion of your focus that must remain dedicated to your education. All of us had at least a passing interest in Burning Sands, a film that turns the pledge process into a stressful . 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