Black Panthers (film)

Black Panthers also sometimes known as Huey is a 1968 short documentary film by Agnès Varda. The film was shot in Oakland, California during the protests over Huey P. Newton's arrest for John Frey's murder in 1967.

Summary

In the summer of 1968 people arrive in Oakland to protest Huey P. Newton's arrest. Newton is himself interviewed and talks about his poor treatment while incarcerated and also talks about the ideals of the Black Panther movement which includes protecting the black community from the police, informing them of their rights, and taking advantage of license to carry firearm laws in order to arm Panthers to police the police.

Other people are interviewed including Kathleen Cleaver who talks about the natural hair movement and the increasing importance of women in positions of authority in the Black Panther movement. The film ends with Newton's conviction for manslaughter and a hate crime involving two police officers shooting the window of a Black Panther office where Newton's picture had been hung in the front window.

Development

Varda and her crew shot the film in 1968 during her time in California while her husband Jacques Demy was in Hollywood working on Model Shop.

Release

Criterion released the film as part of the box set Agnès Varda’s California in 2015.