If you don't think systemic racism exists in policing, this documentary will change your mind
‘Justice Denied’ director on the centuries-long struggle with systemic racism and police brutality in Canada
Black Life: Untold Stories is an epic eight-part documentary series that reframes the rich and complex histories of Black people in Canada over 400 years. Watch now on CBC Gem. Each episode is directed by a different director who shares their experience in a series of video essays.
Duane Crichton, director of "Justice Denied," said he had a moment of doubt about whether he was the one to tell this story.
The seventh episode of the CBC docuseries Black Life: Untold Stories traces Black Canadians' centuries-long struggle with systemic racism and police brutality, from the early days of the RCMP to the present-day Black Lives Matter movement.
"There's a very heavy responsibility," Crichton said. "We're talking about people that have passed. We're talking about communities that have been hurt, families that have been destroyed. And I really wanted to make sure I could do it in a way that would respect them, whether it be recent or way in the past."
Through interviews with experts and activists across Canada, Crichton aims to shatter the myth of a kinder, gentler Canada.
"It's massively important that this episode breaks through the misconceptions of Canada as just a nice place," he said. "It's going to take a lot of people by surprise in a good way, and I think this episode will deliver on telling an angle of the history of Canada that has not been seen before."
Crichton believes people will find the historical records of policing in Canada eye-opening.
"Even if they are on the side of thinking that systematic racism doesn't exist in the policing of Black people in Canada, I don't think there's any way they're going to watch this episode and come away and think that that's true anymore."
About the director
Director Duane Crichton was born in St. Lucia and moved to Toronto when he was four. He is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University's radio and television arts program. He started his career directing music videos, which led to two MuchMusic Video Awards. He won the Young Director Award in Cannes in 2005 and has directed three short films and one feature, Saving God, starring Ving Rhames. His most recent short film, Swimmer, was shown at the New York Shorts International Film Festival last year.
Watch "Justice Denied" Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 9 p.m. (9:30 p.m. NT), on CBC-TV and anytime on CBC Gem.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from features on anti-Black racism to success stories from within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
