Interview: ‘MLK/FBI’ director Sam Pollard on how history repeats itself and how he thinks Dr. King would have reacted to the Capitol insurrection [VIDEO]

MLK/FBI is one of the most consequential documentaries released during the 2020-21 film season.

Director Sam Pollard’s attention to detail is impeccable as he lays out how government officials led by J. Edgar Hoover laid the groundwork and executed a plan to ruin Dr. King in hopes of derailing the Civil Rights Movement. Some didn’t agree with the promise of equality and sought to influence public opinion on a broader scale, destroying the progress that was occurring. Pollard’s film is currently at 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and has been a staple in Best of 2020 lists.

Just how timely Pollard’s documentary was remained unknown until we saw a group of like-minded individuals brutally make their way into the Capitol on Wednesday, January 6 in hopes of forcing their ideology on a broader scale. For myself, I had never seen anything like in my lifetime, but for director Sam Pollard, it was as if history was repeating itself.

On Thursday, January 7, the day after the Capitol attacks, AwardsWatch contributor Dewey Singleton was able to have an extended discussion with the Pollard on MLK/FBI and more. We talked about the connections between what occurred this past Wednesday and what occurred in places like Selma, Alabama, during the Civil Rights Movement’s height. Diving into how the response may have been different had the protestors been members of the Black Lives Matter movement, Pollard even went so far as to discuss how he thinks Dr. King would have reacted to what unfolded. It was a tough discussion, but a necessary one proving the power dialogue can allow us to process even the most horrific events imaginable. 

MLK/FBI will be available On Demand January 15, 2021.

Sam Pollard image credit: Ovidiu Hrubaru / Shutterstock

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Dewey Singleton

I'm a member of Critics Choice, Hollywood Critics Association, and The Society of Professional Journalists. I am also on Rotten Tomatoes. My bylines include @awardswatch, @deweysmovies, @awardsradar, @weliveentertainment, @bleedingcool, and @insessionfilm. I am married to @sgitw and have two sons.

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