BURNING SANDS

US, 2017, 96 minutes, Colour.
Trevor Jackson, Tosin Cole, De Ron Horton, Steve Harris, Travante Rhodes, Alfre Woodard.
Directed by Gerard Mc Murray.

This is a film about university initiations and hazing, the rituals, the atmosphere, the effect on the students. It is based on memories by the director, Gerard Mc Murray.

Those responsible for the production of this film are African- American. In fact, all the characters, except two police , white, officers who challenge the young men in the woods one night, are black.

The setting is an African- American University College, named after Frederick Douglass, with memories of his stances for black rights. Alfre Woodard portrays a lecturer at the University.

Trevor Jackson portrays the main character, Zürich, with pressure from his father, undergoing the initiation, persevering despite injuries, in a relationship which is marred by the ritual of the men having sex with a woman who worked at the burger joint.

Steve Harris portrays the Dean of the College, steeped in the traditions, he himself having passed through the hazing and encouraging the others.

The rest of the cast are not particularly clearly delineated except De Ron Orton as the small Square.

The film has quite a visceral impact and is clearly, often obviously, against these rituals.

1. A drama set in the African- American community? All black characters (except for the two white police officers)? Impact for the target audience? Wider audiences?

2. The American city, the University campus, apartments, dormitories, the countryside? The musical score?

3. The title, the reference to the initiation and the hazing as crossing the burning sands?

4. Audience opinion of hazing rituals? Violence, subjugation, humiliation, allegedly learning humility, withstanding pain, sexual overtones, the desire to belong, influence, later connections, prestige? Fellowship with other students?

5. The visceral impact of many of the sequences, the group, lining up, singlets and shorts, physical exercise, meetings, the inflicting of pain, blindfold, lying on the ground, eating dog food, the Hell night rituals?

6. The focus on Zürich, his character and personality, his father’s expectations, participating in the hazing, his determined face and mouth, participation, encouraging the others, his girlfriend and sexual relationship, in class, the lecturer, her interest in him and pushing him forward, the assignment, his finally completing it, the significance of Frederick Douglass? Zürich and his injuries, wanting to give up, urged to keep going despite the injuries?

7. The group, calling at the burger joint, the order, the girl – and the later sexual activities with her?

8. Zürich’s girlfriend, learning what happened, her reactions, the break? The sympathetic girl in the class?

9. The role of the dean, the students and warning Zürich not to see the dean, seeing him in his office, the encouragement? The dean and his own initiation, belonging, not understanding the resistance to the hazing?

10. The men caught in the woods by the white police? Their stating they had experienced initiation?

11. The student opting out at the beginning? The character of Square, contact with Zürich, small but determined, persevering?

12. Frank, his place in the group, Hell night, the beatings, his physical collapse, the older students wanting to cover it up, getting the younger ones to drop his body at the hospital and vanish? Their staying, waiting? The reassessment?

13. The film as a condemnation of these rituals and hazing?