Netflix’s New 69%-Rated Chart Climber Is a Must-Watch for Malcolm X Fans

Summary:

• Netflix just dropped the biopic which follows the events of the fiery presidential campaign of Shirley Chisholm in 1972.
• She was the first black congresswoman in the history of the USA.
• The movie stars the accoladed Regina King, who is also involved as a producer.

The history of cinematography knows such epic biopics about black politicians, as Malcolm X (1992), following the rises and falls of the Muslim minister and human rights activist, and Boycott (2001), depicting the path of Martin Luther King Jr.

However, all these movies barely touched the topic of black women entering the relentless world of US politics – but it was fixed by the new Netflix’s drama, based on Shirley Chisholm’s life.

It follows the real-life story of the first black woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and her challenging, boundary-breaking 1972 presidential campaign. Besides, the movie also highlights Chisholm’s strong support of black civil rights and women's rights, which she did during her whole career as a congresswoman.

Based on the topics of race and gender equality and emphasizing the need of developing healthcare and education, the featured presidential campaign is as relatable to today's political situation as it was in the 1970s.

Over 50 years later, the USA is still yet to see a female president, especially after the heated battle between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the 2016 campaign, which can be paralleled to the story of Chisholm.

The politician was portrayed by the Oscar-winning Regina King (American Crime, If Beale Street Could Talk), who also co-produced the given film, alongside her own sister, Reina King, who played Shirley’s sister in it too.

“Reina and I first decided that Shirley’s story was one that was important to tell when we realized separately and together how many people did not know who Shirley was,” shares the actress.

Titled after the name of the heroine, Shirley mixes serious moments and Chisholm’s sense of humor, as the politician was quite joyful.

The movie’s creators consulted people who actually knew her, and, according to King, “the one thing they all said was that she loved to dance and that she was funny”. Thus, Shirley appears not as a dull enumeration of the definite woman’s life events, but also a complex study of her personality.

Aired on March 22, this biopic already took the fifth place in Netflix’s Global Chart and doesn’t want to fall short. Stream Shirley on Netflix to learn Chisholm’s powerful story.

Source: Netflix