Copyright 2018 Fandango. Not only is hazing illegal, but the practice has claimed the lives of far too many young men and women across college campuses all over America, including historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). There is more to this movie than hazing. A lot of people fail to realize you have to meet a certain criteria academically and have a good standing within your community before your application is even considered. Burning Sandsdirector is a Howard University alum and amember of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. Starring: Trevor Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Trevante Rhodes. 7 min read. $24.99. I would add the consequences. . On March 9, hip-hop music fans around the world were recognizing the 20th anniversary of rapper Biggie Smalls death. His last words to Apollo are "GO! But the nuances are unique and so is the way I tell the story. The film set out to address hazing in BGLOs, and it didbut with exaggerations and inconsistencies. But now as a parent of a teenage daughter who will enter college in three years, I understand the point that had to be made. He said that the film was inspired by the death of a student and that he wants to use it to start a conversation about a call to action to stop hazing. For prospective initiates, it's okay to stand up for what is wrong. Style + Culture, delivered straight to your inbox. Its the idea of tradition, that its been done for X amount of time, even if its a criminal act, even if its bizarre behaviour, its part of that group. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Gerard McMurray, a producer on acclaimed filmFruitvale Station, directed and co-wrote Burning Sands, which also stars Oscar-nominated actress Alfre Woodard (Luke Cage), Steve Harris (The Practice), and Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight). I would add more, though. My favorite actors Denzel Washington and Michael Shannon are people who go there. Karki was taking part in a fraternities bonding night. Yes. In The Burning Maze, the third book in The Trials of Apollo, Jason Grace is killed by Emperor Caligula while in battle. All of us had at least a passing interest in Burning Sands, a film that turns the pledge process into a stressful . I can go from the boardroom to happy hour without changing. FAMU settled a lawsuit for $1.1 million and issued an apology about the incident. I wanted to tell a story to create a dialogue, said McMurray, a Howard University graduate and a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. Dri Fit, UPF 50+, Moisture Wicking, Breathable, Recycled Material, Wrinkle Free Collar. Before the catastrophic BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico all earth was thr. [Burning Sands] depicts the honor, distinction and dignity promised to the brothers of [the fictional] Lambda Phi just as clearly as it shows the danger in their baptism by fire, according to Netflix. Hell Week is the period that culminates ones pledging process. Hazing is any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the persons willingness to participate. (hazingprevention.org). However, March 9 was a much bigger deal for me because it was the 50th anniversary of the day my dad crossed the burning sands of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity at Florida A&M University (FAMU). The fabric of our society is built on the premise of no easy roads to success, of paying your dues to get where others already are. Zurich takes out his cell phone and calls his dad, realizing why his father never joined the fraternity, and the movie ends. I was embarrassed because, as a proud member of a BGLO, movies like this erase any respectful thoughts my wife had of my fraternity experience. Six convicted of hazing and providing alcohol to a minor. Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first black sorority, would be founded two years later in 1908 (Michelle Obama and tennis great Zina Garrison are members). We rarely see black people in college, he said. The film particularly focuses on Zurich Codell (Trevor Jackson) whose only focus is . They are lawyers, doctors, pro athletes, mayors, politicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, coders and journalists, to name a few. Burning Sandsgives us the good, the bad and the ugly about fraternity life at HBCUs, Trevor Jackson, Steve Harris in Burning Sands. These organizations bring people together, make change in the world, and give you a bond that you cant find anywhere. Only ten per cent believed they had taken part in the practice, but the number who went through drinking, sexual simulation, beatings, forced shoplifting, was over 50 per cent. For alumni, you have to take oversight over your undergrad chapter and make sure the young adults are not making uninformed decisions that could compromise their futures. Shadow of the Tyrant. The story is told through the eyes of a black fraternity pledge. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Interest-Based Ads | EU Privacy Rights | Cookie Policy | Manage Preferences. It was amazing watching these two actors I grew up watching on TV. Keryce Chelsi Henry, Johns Hopkins University '14, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. 'Burning Sands' And The Death Of The Carefree Frat Film The dark side of the boys' club by Grant Rindner March 10, 2017 For a certain subset of society, there used to be no purer form of. Getting the definition across is really important.. They hurried a. What was your initial reaction after watching Burning Sands? The film did not depict how BGLOs run their organizations or the principles of public service or scholarship. The Unicorn Clan, called the Ki-Rin Clan before it left its homeland behind, originally set out from Rokugan soon after its founding to explore this region of the Mortal Realm and determine if its inhabitants presented any . Still, for much of the film, theres little question that whatever long-term benefits there might be to this harassment, theyre not quite worth the short-term cost to both body and mind. Given that Burning Sands takes place at Frederick Douglass University, its apt that Douglasss prose is a constant presence, be it in dialogue between Zurich and Hughes, or in Zurichs own narration. Trusted Your donation is protected by the I leaned a lot not just through our communication but also just watching her and Steve (Harris) do what they do, he said. Perhaps most disturbingly, Nuwer suggests that participants are willing to go through the suffering as they know they too will be able to inflict the punishments a few months later. But its the reference to slave-owners methodsat the start of a story about African-American men doing analogous, terrible things to other African-American menwhich hovers over the remainder of the proceedings. However, creating a film like this puts the director between a rock and a hard place, because while he is addressing very real issues of hazing and people seeking membership in BGLOs for superficial reasons, to truly address every aspect of the situation would require him to reveal confidential details of the process of pursuing membership in these organizations. Powerful Send help right to the people and causes you care about. That pre-med student Zurich (impressive newcomer Trevor Jackson) hasnt read this letter only further helps lay the foundation for the subsequent tale, in which Zurich is put through a gauntlet of torment and is forced to reassess his feelings toward comrades who are eager to dominate through terroralbeit in a spirit of fostering brotherhood.. Dalton Debrick (2014): Died of alcohol poisoning while pledging tothe Alpha Sigma Phi colony. Burning Sands: Jihad is the first setting supplement for Burning Wheel Revised, and is based on Frank Herbert's Dune, with a nod to modern politics.Salt is melange, the Mahdi-Emperor is Paul, the Sisterhood is the Bene Gesserit, and the Syndicate is the Guild. To Rokugani, the Burning Sands are a gaijin enigma. There was only one scene in a classroom, while there were several scenes at a fast food restaurant. But BGLOs are anti-hazing organizations, so what is depicted in the film is far from being the norm of the process of becoming a member. Trevor Jackson (American Crime) stars as Zurich, a bright and outgoing pre-med student determined to successfully pledge the fictional Lambda Phi fraternity at his historically black college. It was a hyper-exaggerated mess. Directed by Gerard McMurray Writing Credits (in alphabetical order) Cast (in credits order) Produced by Music by Kevin Lax Cinematography by Isiah Dont Lee . Of course, there was a physical element that Id never experienced before, but it was the mental challenges that made pledging hard. In his new Netflix movie, Burning Sands, director Gerard McMurray ( Fruitvale Station) takes an unflinching look at college hazing. I absolutely love everything about it. He makes himself available to be told of pledge abuse but not far enough to break the fraternity code of silence and secrecy. Lauren Babb, American University '14, former member of Delta Sigma Theta. One of the great things about pledging for me was that I learned the true meaning of humility, which has taken me far in my life and career. I was broken down and built back into someone much better than when I started. Instead, it's a cautionary tale about the dangers of hazing. Theres a burning curiosity to get a glimpse into the black culture and community. All rights reserved. Earth is dying and humanity's only hope of survival will be somewhere among the stars. Life at an HBCU is a constant balancing act between academia, individual growth, and social life. As an African-American, becoming part of a historically black fraternity or sorority means more than joining an organization to party and network. I feel like that balances me out. Frank resided in. From the time I played little league sports to the time I entered corporate America, Ive experienced some form of hazing. Love for Black Fraternities and Sororities, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands (USD $), Kappa Alpha Psi Crimson Golf Stand Bag - COMING SOON, Kappa Alpha Psi Cream Golf Stand Bag - COMING SOON, Alpha Phi Alpha Half Zip Pullover Sweater. The way the pledges were treated, as well as the hazing, was somewhat dramatized. They are: The first kingdom players start their conquest in the Great Empire. One night the hazing goes too far and a big brother advises the pledge class to drop off a seriously injured pledge at the emergency room but to avoid the cameras. Furthermore, I enjoyed the one professor's concern with Zurich; educators at HBCUs are definitely more connected with their students. Its still overwhelming just thinking about it.. Hazing is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It sent the message that when you join Greek Letter Organizations you fail in your classes, which is also not true. Sundance Film Review: 'Burning Sands' Reviewed at Sundance Film Festival (competing), Jan. 24, 2017. Pledging a fraternity or sorority is not the same as hazing. Customer SatisfactionCustomer SupportHigh End ProductsSecured Transactions. Judges in the US have been in fraternities, most of our presidents have been in a fraternity and theres leniency, theres a feeling that these are good kids., I helped conduct a survey for Alfred University and the National Collegiate Athletics Association. It was imperative to prevent anything like this from happening again. Theres no permanent solution hazing has always been with us and it will continue to be with us in 100 years.. Blavity. The Burning Sands, also known in the Rokugani tongue as the Yakeru yoni Atsui, was the name given to the great arid area to the north and west of the Empire of Rokugan. It shows how a pledgeship can go so wrong, and what we can do to prevent a meaningless death. It happens all the way from non-criminal prankish kind of activities, things like making them wear a childs backpack, all the way up to beatings and physical torture.. Since 1988 The Burning Sands by Alicia has served Divine 9 greek organizations with. Generations have benefited from the Divine Nines leadership, scholarship and charity. The pledges in the film were hazed, appeared to have been taught nothing during their process, and seemed to have shallow reasons for wanting to join in the first place. I do think it was a missed opportunity to give a more rounded portrayal of black greek organizations even though there were a few scenes that did that. But the filmmaker disputes that. Like any other movie, some things are true, and others are dramatized. From its opening sequence, in which Frank suffers the repercussions of protecting Zurich from mistreatment, Burning Sands pulls no punches in its depiction of the horrors that would-be frat boys willingly tolerate to join their coveted Greek ranks. What would you have changed about the film?I would have liked to get deeper into the conversations of why the pledges were dealing with it and what was stopping them truly from either saying something in the moment or something to someone after. It currently holds an 87% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. Woodard, an Emmy Award winner whose credits include Captain America: Civil War and Desperate Housewives, brought a level of gravitas toBurning Sands,McMurray and Jackson said. It would have helped give balance to the film. On this tortured earth, humanity is gone. What is the Spanish language plot outline for Burning Sands (2017)? That narrative is super played. Now that Jackson has proven he can be portray dramatic roles, hes ready to tackle a comedy or two, he said. Legend of the Burning Sands. Burning Sands is pretty straight forward in terms of the plot, but there is a nice twist at towards the end of the film, which is probably when the movie hit its climax. What are your thoughts on that?Everything about learning and growing should be intentional and purposeful. Burning Sands | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix Watch on Burning Sands is the debut feature from Gerard McMurray, whose most notable producing credit is on Ryan Coogler's devastating. They want people to see it, especially students, and think about the repercussions of hazing, McMurray said. A 2007 survey showed that 55% of male and female students took part in hazing rituals. I was excited but nervous, McMurray said. What do you think the film did well?I liked the part of the film where the pledges reached out and called the older, more successful brothers. With that being said, each member organization of the Divine Nine takes hazing seriously and comes down pretty hard on those caught. Some 1,600 homes and buildings have been destroyed. Netflix film Burning Sands explores the dangers of hazing from the perspective of Zurich Condoll (Trevor Jackson), a student at the fictional HBCU Frederick Douglass University, as he experiences Hell Week as a pledge of the prestigious Lambda Phi fraternity. We reached out to 12 men and women who are members of the Divine Nine (the nickname for the nine Black Greek Letter Organizations)and asked them to share their reactions to the film. There was so much to be said about this experience that the film itself just seemed rushed and paced wrong. I think this movie was meant strictly as a cautionary tale. Just like one of them $80 shirts from Dick's or the PGA Store. No. Burning Sandsdirectorsaid that the film was influenced by the death of Robert Champion and wants to use it to start a conversation about a call to action to stop hazing. I developed a mental toughness and resolve that I didnt know I had. Anything else?As people of color, we are all unique and multifaceted in so many ways. Its a portrait whose universality is all the more compelling for its precise, unique details. See production, box office & company info, It's alright, I guess, but I just couldn't connect to it. Are we truly uplifting one another even in the molding process for those trying to pledge? I was mostly let down by the lack of visibility of black sororities in the movie. McMurray said fraternity brothers and others have questioned why hes tackling the topic of hazing because they think it will tarnish the image of black fraternities and sororities. I analyzed how they performed. I wanted to show young black men at a black college and the challenges they go through on the path to manhood.. And this movie really promotes brotherhood. Hank Nuwer, author of Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking, explains to i why students willingly take part in hazing rituals. 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