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In his first black-and-white film, Roberto Minervini portrays the residents of a Black neighbourhood in the southern United States during the summer of 2017, in the wake of a series of violent crimes that shocked the nation.
The film follows members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense who, through home visits, meetings and protests, seek to mobilise their community and organise resistance. Alongside these collective moments, Minervini captures the daily lives of two young brothers and a spirited bar owner who emerges as a central figure in the film. Moving between public and private spheres, generations and genders, the filmmaker demonstrates a remarkable ability to shift perspectives.
What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire? premiered in the main competition at the Venice Film Festival in 2018.