Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

Synopsis

Presented in tribute to the late Melvin Van Peebles, this is his groundbreaking independent film, which he produced, wrote and directed himself after his experience with Hollywood studios proved unsatisfying. It depicts a Black man on the run from police and in the process tells a number of inconvenient truths about race in America. Along the way, Van Peebles uses filming and editing techniques that still feel radical today

Listed at AFS

Archived on the AFS site between Mon, Jan 17 2022 and Thu, May 21 2026, across 7 captures. These dates are inferred from Wayback Machine captures and may not be accurate.