Topic > Ava Duvernay's use of visual imagery in the 13th documentary

Film has been a powerful tool since its creation, changing the way humans experience and think about life. Additionally, films such as documentaries draw attention to many social issues and problems. Documentaries bring about social change when they capture the public's attention. Documentaries use powerful images to emotionally engage viewers in reality and truth. The documentary 13th, by Ava DuVernay, investigates the issue of mass incarceration in the United States, the history of racism and the mistreatment and criminalization of African Americans. By using the practical method of visual imagery to capture the audience's emotional response, producers can strengthen the case for how racism has affected society yesterday, today and tomorrow. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayAva DuVernay, in her film, the 13th, uses real footage of moments when African Americans are mistreated due to police brutality. This evidence brings to light the ugliness of social injustice in an authentic and emotional way. Throughout the film, Ava DuVernay includes footage of past and recent events in relation to the case. Many clips are heartbreaking, upsetting and can elicit strong responses from viewers. For example, there are numerous clips early in the film showing African Americans being mistreated in the civil rights era. The film includes images of Black protesters, Black students, or simply Black individuals being yelled at, pushed, attacked, or arrested by police. It is alarming to see the film show heartbreaking details of this injustice. At the end of the film is another compelling assortment of footage, with clips from more recent times. There is footage of black protesters at one of Donald Trump's rallies being pushed and verbally harassed, mostly by white men. The film compares the film to black and white footage from the past where a black man was oppressed by a group of white men during the civil rights period and African American protestors were harassed or oppressed. The similarity of the two examples creates a connection between the treatment of black individuals in the past and the treatment of these individuals in today's society. Finally, another montage of 13 clips, with a sequence that includes original clips of police brutality cases. There are myriad clips showing police officers abusing their power over Black people through extreme force. Sometimes, this includes the use of weapons by law enforcement, which in most cases has resulted in the deaths of African Americans. Intense footage includes a black man held down by multiple police officers as he repeatedly says, "I can't breathe." Another clip shows a black man sitting in his car as a police officer approaches the car and shoots him through the window. There were too many scenes of African Americans being killed by police officers not to question the cruelty of hatred and discrimination. While these scenes are painful to watch, one clip that particularly stands out in the film is Emmett Till's open casket funeral. Estimated about sixty years ago, a magazine published photos of the disfigured and decomposed body of a 14-year-old African American. , Emmett Till, who shook communities across the country. The images included in the film were essential to the truthful revelation of Till's murder. Mamie, Emmett Till's mother, held an open casket funeral on September 3, 1955, so the world could see her son's bloated, beaten body. Emmett's body was seen by.