In archival and news footage men are seen touching women's behinds and genitals (blurred) and it's not always clear if there was consent. There are two accounts of rape and sexual assault that don't feature any graphic depictions. Policemen beat people in the streets.
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Blurred genitals. Many women appear in very short skirts and small underwear like thongs and bikini bottoms. There are scenes in strip clubs but no full nudity. There are many scenes with shirtless men. Sex toys are seen briefly.
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Director P. Frank Williams, who is Black, tells a unique story and celebrates Black culture and the city of Atlanta, while also acknowledging where things went badly. All of the artists and people interviewed in the film are Black (of varying ages and body sizes) and tell a story the media hasn't told from their point of view before. The documentary features interviews with male icons like Jermaine Dupri, CeeLo Green, and Lil Jon, and gives Black women an equal amount of screen time by having Rasheeda, Monique Toliver, and Sharon Toomer, among others, contribute their stories to create a holistic experience.
The importance of carving spaces for joy with your community and protecting those spaces from negative influences. Teamwork and creating things together.
Positive Role Models
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The people who founded Freaknik show integrity and compassion as they got together to create something that would bring joy to their community. They also show the importance of accountability and acknowledging when things don't go as planned.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told is a documentary about an annual Black cultural event. In the early 1980s, a group of Black students attending HBCUs decided to do something special for their community by throwing a party for kids who couldn't afford to travel during spring break. The tradition continued each year. Violent and scary moments include archival footage where men touch women's blurred genitals without stating clear consent, scenes of police beating people up, and two accounts of rape and sexual assault without graphic depictions. Strong language includes "f--k," s--t," and "p---y." There is no full nudity but many men appear shirtless and women, including dancers at a strip club, are seen wearing thongs and bikini tops and bottoms. People drink and smoke in a few scenes, and there are mentions of beer and champagne. Director P. Frank Williams, who is Black, tells a unique story and celebrates Black culture by featuring interviews with the Black men and women (of varying ages and body sizes) who lived it and whose points of view are rarely seen onscreen. Positive messages and role models highlight why the people who created Freaknik wanted to do something positive for their community, while also acknowledging how and when things went badly. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Katherine R.Parent of 8, 10, 14, 18+, 18+ and 5-year-old
March 14, 2024
age 10+
What's the Story?
In FREAKNIK: THE WILDEST PARTY NEVER TOLD, director P. Frank Williams explores how a local tradition became one of the most important celebrations of Black culture in the United States. In 1982, a group of college students attending HCUs who stayed in Atlanta during spring break decided to throw a picnic for their peers. Over the year, the party grew. Set in a time before social media and smartphones, the documentary compiles stories and interviews told by the people who created Freaknik and by the artists whose work either began at the festival or who have been highly influenced by its cultural effect.
This documentary chronicles how a small picnic transformed into an epic cultural event that helped shape a generation of Black artists and influenced culture in unforeseen ways. Initially, the documentary focuses on how Freaknik started (the name came from the Le Chic song) and director P. Frank Williams fills the film with historical footage and in-depth interviews with the people who lived through the original experience.
The second part of the film gives a critical look at how this celebration of Black joy transformed into something where violence toward women and sexual abuse thrived, making it the rare kind of film that provides a holistic point of view, rather than imposing preconceived ideas. Listening to people discuss how women were oversexualized by attendants during the festival while comparing the media's coverage of Freaknik to White spring break celebrations where negative behavior isn't analyzed, is how a filmmaker should deliver truth. More than a documentary about a party, this is a powerful film about the different worlds inhabited by Black and White people in the United States, and how slow progress and equity continue to move.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Talk to your kids about how the original purpose of Freaknik, as discussed by its founders in Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told, changed throughout the years. Why is it important to acknowledge when good ideas can lead to not-so-good consequences?
The documentary celebrates the joys of Black music and expresses the importance of community. What are some things you love the most about your community?
The film shows how the media talked about Freaknik and White spring break celebrations. What were some of the differences you noticed?
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