Selma

Year

2014

Duration

123 minutes

Genres

Based on a true story, Biopics, Period and Historical

Language

English

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Member rating

48 Reviews

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Leader rating

2 leader ratings

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Synopsis

Martin Luther King is well known as one of America's greatest advocates of civil rights for black Americans and this absorbing drama focuses on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches and the events leading up to this historic moment in American history. After accepting his Nobel Peace Prize, four black girls in Alabama are killed by a bomb set by the Ku Klux Klan, setting off a chain of events that lead to a rising up of black Americans against racial injustice. As Dr King readies himself to lead the forthcoming rallies, he must deal with the US government as well as his own weakness and doubts. Complex and moving, this is a film which explores, in depth, the intricacies of leadership and the wider civil rights movement in America.

Director/s

Ava DuVernay

Cast (in alphabetical order)

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Classification

Contains moderate violence, racist language, infrequent strong language

Find out more on the BBFC website

This film is part of the following themes

Achievement
Identity

Resources To Use With This Film

Black Star strand resource

Black History Month, 1 Oct - 1 Nov

Activities to support debate, discussion and reflection alongside a screening from the Black Star strand.

Suitable for 11–16

2 pdf

1 ppt

View resource

Resource

Black Star: Persuasive Speech

Black History Month, 1 Oct - 1 Nov

Black Star: The Power of Persuasive Speech

Suitable for All ages

1 ppt

1 pdf

View resource

Civil Rights on Film - Selma Assembly

Martin Luther King Day, 18 Jan

This interactive assembly resource uses stimulus from the film Selma as a way to explore the Civil Rights Movement.

Suitable for 11+

1 pdf

1 ppt

View resource

Dear White People: Film Guide

A film guide that looks at Dear White People (2014), exploring its key topics and themes through informal discussion.

Suitable for 16+

1 pdf

View resource

Film, Democracy and Debate Assembly

International Day of Democracy, 15 Sep

A resource to encourage students to reflect on their attitudes to democracy and debate.

Suitable for 11–16

1 pdf

1 ppt

View resource

Film, Democracy and Debate resource

International Day of Democracy, 15 Sep

A resource to inspire and structure debate amongst children and young people.

Suitable for 7–16

1 pdf

View resource

Selma: Film Guide

Black History Month, 1 Oct - 1 Nov

A film guide that looks at Selma (2014), exploring its key topics and themes through informal discussion.

Suitable for 14–16

1 ppt

View resource

Film director Beeban Kidron explains why she decided to make a documentary

Women in the film industry assembly

International Women's Day, 8 Mar

This resource aims to champion the significance of female roles in the world of film.

Suitable for 7–16

1 pdf

1 ppt

View resource

Related Films

Nothing But A Man(1964)

A landmark US indie film set in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, focusing on one man's attempt to encourage solidarity amongst his peers.

1 Review

Certificate

11+ years 92 mins

Malcolm X(1992)

Powerful epic from famed director Spike Lee about the life of late African-American black liberation movement leader Malcolm X.

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In The Heat of the Night(1967)

In the US south in the 60s, just after the passing of the Civil Rights Act, a black police officer is arrested for a prominent white citizen's murder.

14 Reviews

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11+ years 102 mins

Fruitvale Station(2013)

Based on real events, this film charts a day in the life of a Black man named Oscar Grant on NYE 2008 and how he was unlawfully killed by the police.

32 Reviews

Certificate

14+ years 82 mins

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Into Film Clubs

Into Film Clubs provide opportunities to watch, review and make films.

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Do I Need a Licence?

Information on which licences you need to show films in your education setting.

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Training

Learn to use film to raise literacy attainment and engage students.

'Darkest Hour' and the stirring power of oratory

16 Jan 2018 BY Joe Ursell in Film Features

We look at Winston Churchill biopic 'Darkest Hour' and how it captures Britain at a time of tremendous uncertainty in the early days of World War Two.

Reading time 8 mins

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A United Kingdom: How one relationship reshaped the world

21 Mar 2017 BY Joe Ursell in Film Features

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Reading time 7 mins

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30 Aug 2016 BY Michael Prescott

In our Autumn Preview, we're taking a look at some of the fantastic films that are still to hit cinemas in 2016 - from stellar sci-fi to sublime animation.

Reading time 4 mins

View Article

Book now for free World Music Day screenings across the UK

01 Jun 2018

Our Summer Screenings return in June 2018, with classic musical films for all ages - demonstrating the power of music when words don't suffice.

Reading time 2 mins

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Discussing which Black icons should have films made about them

29 Sep 2021

For Black History Month 2021, we've brought together teachers and young people to discuss what Black icons from The British Isles should get the film treatment.

Reading time 8 mins

View Article

How film can be a great catalyst for teaching History

10 Apr 2017 BY Daryn Simon in Using Film to Teach...

Ahead of VE Day (8 May) history teacher Daryn Simon details why he believes that film is a powerful tool for developing young people's understanding of history.

Reading time 4 mins

View Article

Into Film Festival highlights - what not to miss

20 Oct 2016 BY Elinor Walpole

Film Programmer Elinor highlights some special picks from the incredibly diverse range of films showing at this year's free Into Film Festival.

Reading time 6 mins

View Article

Using film to teach Citizenship

04 Oct 2016 BY Daryn Simon in Using Film to Teach...

Former head of history Daryn Simon explores how film can help young people to become increasingly active and thoughtful citizens.

Reading time 4 mins

View Article

Theme

View theme

Achievement

Stories that depict great accomplishments and celebrate the incredible feats that filmmakers themselves have achieved with their works over the years.

Films 50

Resources 72

View theme

Identity

Films acts as a window into the wider world, and offers contexts and points of view that might otherwise be closed to them.

Films 20

Resources 132

View theme

Black History Month

Black History Month, 1 Oct - 1 Nov

A selection of films looking at international representations of Black History across cinema.

Suitable for7+

No. of films24

View film list

People and Democracy

A selection of films from around the world exploring democracy and the political process throughout history, encouraging debate, understanding and engagement.

Suitable for11+

No. of films27

View film list

Viewing 0 of 0 related items.

Selma

Year

Duration

Genres

Language

Member rating

Leader rating

Synopsis

Director/s

Cast (in alphabetical order)

Classification

This film is part of the following themes

Resources To Use With This Film

Black Star strand resource

Black History Month, 1 Oct - 1 Nov

Black Star: Persuasive Speech

Black History Month, 1 Oct - 1 Nov

Civil Rights on Film - Selma Assembly

Martin Luther King Day, 18 Jan

Dear White People: Film Guide

Film, Democracy and Debate Assembly

International Day of Democracy, 15 Sep

Film, Democracy and Debate resource

International Day of Democracy, 15 Sep

Selma: Film Guide

Black History Month, 1 Oct - 1 Nov

Women in the film industry assembly

International Women's Day, 8 Mar

Related Films

Nothing But A Man(1964)

Nothing But A Man(1964)

Malcolm X(1992)

Malcolm X(1992)

In The Heat of the Night(1967)

In The Heat of the Night(1967)

Fruitvale Station(2013)

Fruitvale Station(2013)

Rate this film

Reviews (48)

Into Film Clubs

Do I Need a Licence?

How do Into Film Clubs work?

Training

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'Darkest Hour' and the stirring power of oratory

16 Jan 2018 BY Joe Ursell in Film Features

A United Kingdom: How one relationship reshaped the world

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Autumn Preview: Cinematic Highlights for the rest of 2016

30 Aug 2016 BY Michael Prescott

Book now for free World Music Day screenings across the UK

01 Jun 2018

Discussing which Black icons should have films made about them

29 Sep 2021

How film can be a great catalyst for teaching History

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20 Oct 2016 BY Elinor Walpole

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04 Oct 2016 BY Daryn Simon in Using Film to Teach...

Achievement

Identity

Black History Month

Black History Month, 1 Oct - 1 Nov

People and Democracy

What our educators say