Brother to Brother

Brother to Brother 

Emma Barnes

    Brother to Brother, released in 2004, is a film directed by Rodney Adams, staring Anthony Mackie and Roger Robinson. It follows artist Perry (Mackie) as he struggles to come to terms with his sexuality, what it means to be in a biracial relationship, and the lose of his homophobic father from his life. Perry befriends Bruce (Adams), a homeless artist and writer who lived through the Harlem Renaissance. The film switches back and forth from present day to black and white shoots in the 20s' and 30s'. 

                     

Bruce at a party during the Harlem Renaissance.

Bruce painting Perry.

Significance: 

In the trailer the quote, "you see this anger you're feeling towards white people? It's the same anger brothers feel towards me for being gay," is directed at Perry's best friend. So, Brother to Brother truly shows the struggle of being misunderstood by the people who are meant to know you best. The trailer also shows Perry in bed with a white man. The film addresses the way that people of color can be fetishized in sexual relationships- a problem that is not unique to heterosexual couples. Lastly, the jarringness of the black and white flashbacks show how little has changed in the lives of how queer people fit into society from the 20s' to 2004.

Discussion questions:

1. How does identifying as queer as well as Black appear to affect life during the Harlem Renaissance?

2. This film came out 18 years ago, how may it be different if it were filmed in 2022?