Who better to rule the future world. I had great trepidation before I watched Netflixs new movie Burning Sands. I feel like that balances me out. I was really disheartened by the depiction of Black Greek Organizations. As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film? "Burning Sands," Gerald McMurray's feature filmmaking debut, is one of the fresher entries, thanks mainly to its setting: a historically black fraternity on a historically black campus like Howard, the university where the co-writer and director got his degree. FAMU settled a lawsuit for $1.1 million and issued an apology about the incident. Beyond Burning Sands by P R Adams. His last words to Apollo are "GO! It's a tragic situation, and Burning Sands, coincidentally, features a plotline that's similar to Wade's case. Karki was taking part in a fraternities bonding night. Burning Sands is the new Netflix movie that focuses on the story of 5 young black men trying to become members of Lamba Phi, one of the top fraternities at their HBCU. 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. Following 1908, there would be four more black fraternities and three more black sororities created, all boasting their own illustrious history, members and contributions to American and world history. BGLO is one of them, and we all join for various reasons. Laci Jordan, University of Alabama '11, Delta Sigma Theta. I couldnt help but think about the Jay Z song Get Your Mind Right Mami, in which he exclaims, Its a secret society, all we ask is trust. As one of the many proud FAMU alumni and a friend to many who experienced the same ritual, including my dad, I was torn regarding the Champion incident. The dark tone of the film is not surprising. They are lawyers, doctors, pro athletes, mayors, politicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, coders and journalists, to name a few. Thats just me, though. Both the real-life situation and the storyline featured in the film emphasize the. The Netflix film, Burning Sands (2017), is described online as: "Zurich Condoll (Trevor Jackson) is a student at Frederick Douglass University and is proud to be a pledge at a famous African-American fraternity. Academia and growth were only [tangentially referenced] in Burning Sands, while there was an emphasis on social life. NYLON 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. But unlikeBurning Sands, the musically driven movie portrays hazing as a rite of passage instead of a life-threatening crossroad. For current members, it is time to reinvent your process and become smarter. For prospective initiates, it's okay to stand up for what is wrong. The lessons gleaned from Douglasss words, though, are complicated. Lauren Babb, American University '14, former member of Delta Sigma Theta. What was your initial reaction after watching Burning Sands? Lord of the Rings TCG. 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 film was a good eye-opener for prospective, current, and alumni BGLO members. Just like one of them $80 shirts from Dick's or the PGA Store. My worry is, the people who don't know anything about BGLO's may watch this and think it's the norm and that everyone endures this type of abuse. They feature NPC towers, Alliance buildings, and outside of The Great Empire, Resource Villages. The 1988 comedic drama School Daze, which Lee wrote and directed, follows the hazing rituals of the fictional Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity. As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film?I was not personally. I was mostly let down by the lack of visibility of black sororities in the movie. Members of fraternities who dont take part in initiations are oftenshunned duringtheir college career and excluded from social events. When Samuel Mason died at Radford University, the price for sixpeople who gave him enough alcohol to put him to death was a $1,000 dollar fine each. [1] In January 2017, Common boarded the film as an executive producer and will contribute an original song to the film. I was excited but nervous, McMurray said. What do you think the film did well?I think people went into the film wanting to be entertained by the HBCU/BGLO experience, but instead, they were educated. Six convicted of hazing and providing alcohol to a minor. Thereare problematic hazing activities that some individuals engage in that stray far away from the meaningful traditions of respective divine nine organizations and it's definitely crucial to challenge them in order to encourage free thinking and to save lives. During the movie, two Frederick Douglass quotes are repeated: "It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men," and, "If there is . Production: A Netflix presentation of a Mandalay Pictures, Homegrown. Nuwer believesthat harsher sentencing needs to be handed out to those who instigate extreme acts of hazing. I cant ignore, however, what seems like an increasing number of incidents. It is also equally irresponsible for members of BGLOs to dismiss this movie as pure fiction when it is not. Two years later, two Virginia State University students Jauwan Holmes and Marvell Edmonson drowned during an initiation ritual for an unsanctioned group called Men of Honor. Also, alumni should be the adults and not partake in compromising activities with young adults. Hes written for and/or appeared in Forbes, Inc., CNN, MSNBC, Fast Company and serves as a contributor for The New Kiss104.1FM morning show in Atlanta. While Burning Sands, which premiered this month on Netflix, is an intense, well-acted look at hazing in the world of black Greek fraternities, it never quite seems to be sure what it wants to. 2023 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. The Awakening. The one where the pledges made phone calls back to their older big brothers felt really good to watch. Villa had been attempting to gain entry into the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at California State University when he was coerced into taking part in the hazing practice. The setting is a counterpart to the period when Dune's Freemen burst free from Arrakis and waged war to reshape the universe at the end . For example, African-American scholar, Dr. John Hope Franklin, in his autobiography, Mirror to America, documented . Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first black sorority, would be founded two years later in 1908 (Michelle Obama and tennis great Zina Garrison are members). Secrets and Lies. Critics often say the Divine Nine creates elitism among African-Americans on college campuses. He lived and died, quite literally, for his profession as an actor, but there was a side that few outside celebrity circles knewFrank Sutton the cultured Ivy League grad and serious student of theatre history. Drama Deep into Hell Week, a favored pledgee is torn between honoring his code of silence or standing up against the intensifying violence of underground hazing. Yes, Jason David Frank is unfortunately dead at the age of 49. Members thinkweve always done it, were kind of an extraordinary group ourselves and we can get through this.'. I think much of that comes from the lack of character development in the film. We posed the question: Have you been hazed?. The brotherhood and the family I acquired made me who I am but thats what separates pledging from hazing.. 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. Burning Sands - Trailer VOST Bande-annonce - Seulement sur Netflix [Full HD,1920x1080] NoPopCorn. When you think about the people who viewed this movie, especially at Sundance, I assure you, it was mostly a white audience. His latest book, "The Ratline," is a gripping sequel. Earth is dying and humanity's only hope of survival will be somewhere among the stars. Director Gerard McMurray Writers Christine T. Berg Gerard McMurray Stars Trevor Jackson Tosin Cole DeRon Horton See production, box office & company info Watch on Netflix with subscription The social and networking component of black Greek life is quite amazing due to the global reach of the Divine Nine. Justine Hunt, Jason's manager, confirmed the sad news in a statement on Sunday. Copyright 2018 Fandango. I wasn't really offended. Theres a burning curiosity to get a glimpse into the black culture and community. Burning Sands director is a Howard University alum and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. It is important that we are the ones telling our stories and telling them truthfully, but we also need to be cognizant that eyes are on us and we should be telling stories holistically. My favorite actors Denzel Washington and Michael Shannon are people who go there. Such ambiguity is also felt in a finale that finds Zurich and company coping with tragedy, and in the process, figuring out to whom theyre truly loyal. When you create a movie like thatwith a black cast, which depicts mostly black peopleyou have to assume we, people of color, are your main audience. While the movie is named after the term "crossing the sands," it doesn't have much to do with the phrase's meaning. At 2:05 a.m. on Nov. 26, 1996, a gathered crowd cheered with an early morning raucousness known only to the not-so-sober as charges went off in rapid succession up and down the 17-story tower of. Theres a kind of effect where because you have endured this the next guy is certainly going to endure it, which is another reason why it doesnt stop theres always this need to do it at least one more time.. Hank Nuwers new book Destroying Young Lives: Hazing in Schools and the Militaryis availablenow. As I always like to say, Its deeper than rap lyrics, which refers to when theres a beef between two hip-hop artists and the beef goes beyond the actual song as in Remy Ma vs. Nicki Minaj. Mike Deng (2013): Died following multiple body slams by 20-30 members of a fraternity. In this case, I will be referring to Frank Zhang, our favorite son of Mars! There is more to this movie than hazing. Tales from the Burning Sands is a lore-friendly, serialized adventure mod which will evolve through chapters. 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). It was predicted it would take decades to extinguish them. How do you feel about the way in which BGLOs and the HBCU experience were portrayed in this movie? Anything else?As people of color, we are all unique and multifaceted in so many ways. Philip Lewis, Michigan State University '13, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. What was your initial reaction after watching Burning Sands?That there is a distinction between pledging and hazing. However, the question is at what cost? We produce the most black engineers and doctors. How do you feel about the way in which BGLOs experience was portrayed in this movie?I dont think I really saw anything positive from the BGLOs on the campus in the film. Apollo then goes on, in mourning and shock, and by the end of the book, Riordan closes with Apollo remembering the words of Jason; promising himself to . Looking at the film, I am not even sure why anyone would have wanted to join Lambda Phi, based off of how they conducted themselves on campus. And once I crossed the burning sands, it did become harder. Black fraternities and sororities on campuses provide images of young black men and women that mainstream media dont show. On March 9, hip-hop music fans around the world were recognizing the 20th anniversary of rapper Biggie Smalls death. He makes himself available to be told of pledge abuse but not far enough to break the fraternity code of silence and secrecy. Blavity. $1,000 each.. What about the positive forums or the community service or the leadership? 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. Between 2 Sistas: Burning Sands Review! This was frustrating, because the film was shot very well, and could have been even better had the plot been more realistic. Burning Sands is a movie about this group of young college freshmen who want to get into this fraternity and have to go through one week of humiliation by its members. Is Burning Sands streaming? It currently holds an 87% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. Would they be proud of the ways we initiate new members? To Rokugani, the Burning Sands are a gaijin enigma. V3.1. I definitely stopped the movie a few times to get myself together. Burning Sands is an American drama movie directed by Gerard McMurray, from a screenplay by McMurray and Christine Berg, and starring Trevor Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Steve Harris, Tosin Cole, DeRon Horton, and Trevante Rhodes. How do we break these cycles? In order to be a part of BGLO, there are academic requirements that must be met, meaning while there is a possibility your grades could slip during the pledging phase, there is still a large portion of your focus that must remain dedicated to your education. I like going to places where I dont go everyday but there definitely has to be balance., Burning Sandsbegins streaming Friday, March 10 on Netflix, 270 Best Movies Directed By Women of the 21st Century, Best Netflix Horror Series: Scary TV Series To Watch, The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Features Sad Bo-Katan, a Bad Baby, and a Pirate Problem, The 5 Most Anticipated Movies of March 2023, The Mandalorian Creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni on Grogus Force Training and the Darksabers Significance, Copyright Fandango. Being that the focus was on excessive hazing, there should have been more light shed on the positive aspects other than stepping and parties. Original . As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film?Offended? The film is being directed by Gerard McMurray. A lot of the people who are involved are athletes: its been ingrained in them from a young age not to quit and thats important to them.. Getting the definition across is really important.. The ongoing rumors about his passing have been deemed true. Netflix drama Burning Sands which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival takes a critical look at the physical and mental effects that hazing has on participants. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. You dont see it on the news or social media and I feel like its a dope thing. How do you feel about the way in which Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) and the HBCU experience were portrayed in this movie?I believe BGLOs and the HBCU experience was portrayed as very superficial. Dean Richardson, a Lambda Phi alumnus, holds himself out as an example of the fraternity system and extols its virtues. Its not a coincidence that the Divine Nine organizations were founded during the Jim Crow era. The first chapter, The Chef, features an individual who needs your help for a variety of unusual tasks. In BURNING SANDS, Zurich (Trevor Jackson) is a new student at Frederick Douglas University who is trying to survive as a fraternity pledge during "Hell Week.""Hell Week" is a time when fraternity pledges are made to endure a plethora of humiliations from fraternity brothers -- if Zurich can make it through "Hell Week," he will be a member of one of the most prestigious fraternities on campus . The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2017, before being released on March 10, 2017, by Netflix. Fix typos. It sent the message that when you join Greek Letter Organizations you fail in your classes, which is also not true. Kingdoms are the main locations of the game that the player can build and manage a castle in. Trevor Duffy (2014): Died of acute alcohol poisoning when forced to down 1.5litres of vodka. You can make a man (or woman) work hard for something and allow them to keep their dignity. Read what each of them took away from Burning Sands in the interviews, below. Its symbol is a lion. Leticia Hunt, Tuskegee University '12, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. That topic is of similar concern to the latest original feature from Netflix, Burning Sands, albeit in a manner thats as unexpected as it is intriguing. 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. To view the request, visit the Prospector Saloon in . 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. 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. Like any other movie, some things are true, and others are dramatized. . We see one sorority member, admirably depicted as being intelligent and strong-willed, but we dont get a sense of her connection to her sorority sisters. It stars Trevor Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Steve Harris, Tosin Cole, DeRon Horton and Trevante Rhodes. Its a portrait whose universality is all the more compelling for its precise, unique details. More so disappointed. 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. 'Burning Sands' Explores the Terrors of Hazing and the Legacy of Slavery TRAUMA Gerard McMurray's ('Fruitvale Station') new Netflix film, premiering March 10th, follows five black men navigating. Such a notion, however, is soon contrasted with Professor Hughess favorite Douglass quote: Its easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. Whether hazing is thus a positive or a negative factor in a mans maturation remains, to some extent, open to interpretation. 100 Best Free Movies on YouTube (March 2023), 100 Best Movies Written by Women of All Time. As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film? But the nuances are unique and so is the way I tell the story. 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. My mindset when I pledged was: By Any Means Necessary. There are some who are attracted to the parties and boisterousness of particular organizations. 12 brothers and sisters tell us what they think. 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.. Do not be fearful to speak out against foul behavior during a pledge process. Released March 10th, 2017, 'Burning Sands' stars Trevor Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Steve Harris, Tosin Cole The movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 45 min, and received a user score of 58 (out of. Since 1969 there has been at least one death every year caused by hazing practices in the United States. According to hazing expert Hank Nuwer, there has been at least one death every year from 1969 to 2016 as a result of hazing, initiation and pledging-related accidents. Champion, 26, died in November 2011 aboard a school bus after a football game and a band initiation rite. The city was ordered evacuated on May 3. Five young men pledge Lambda Lambda Phi Fraternity at the historically Black institution, Frederick Douglass University. Cheryl is 'torn' over the idea of having more children. I wont quit no matter what the cost. Keryce Chelsi Henry, Johns Hopkins University '14, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Though the hazing of Champion happened during a band initiation, the prevalence of hazing runs deep, unfortunately, within the culture of some fraternities and sororities on both historically black and predominantly white campuses. Related topic Torn (Ednaswap song) Related topic. Rihanna Will Perform Lift Me Up For The First Time At The Oscars, In Emily, Emily Bront Gets To Be A Real Girl, Breaking Down Astrologys Big Three Through Movies, Here Are The Winners Of The 2023 SAG Awards. Marquise Francis, Syracuse University '13, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. How do you feel about the way in which BGLOs experience was portrayed in this movie?I feel like the BGLOs were portrayed as very one-dimensional. Not everything about pledging is bad, and not every brother in the organization is mean. Dalton Debrick (2014): Died of alcohol poisoning while pledging tothe Alpha Sigma Phi colony. In the spring of 1981, a hunger strike involving an IRA prisoner became a story that caught the world's attention. [2], The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2017. It's the best representation of Black Greek life that I've seen, especially compared to Stomp The Yard, Drumline, The Quad, etc. It's completely meaningless. Some 1,600 homes and buildings have been destroyed. Michael Walker (2016): Died of alcohol poisoning. These events have, do, and will continue to happen. But she was very supportive of me as a first-time director. Series: Burning Sands. 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. It's based on true events and sheds light on the dangers of hazing. Among black fraternities and sororities, there is the saying, Its harder once you make it across the burning sands. Please explain. I think this movie was meant strictly as a cautionary tale. But anti-hazing rules have driven his Hell Week underground, and the veteran members of his fraternity have degenerated into a pack . He said that the film was inspired by the death of a student and that he wants to. Instead, it's a cautionary tale about the dangers of hazing. The fire has consumed 10,000 hectares of forested and city land (app. During the movie, two Frederick Douglass quotes are repeated: Its easier to build strong children than to repair broken men, and, If there is no struggle, there is no progress. These quotes are on opposite ends of the spectrum, yet still meet at a crossroads, showing the dichotomy of black Greek life. LBS Sealed & Full Sets. LBS Promo. Promising student Zurich opens his eyes to some hard truths when his fraternity's violent hazing escalates into a disastrous hell night. Its still overwhelming just thinking about it.. 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. I learned to push my mind, body and soul to limits that I didnt think were possible. Black fraternities and sororities are without question a huge part of the black college experience now as it was for most of the 20th century. See production, box office & company info, It's alright, I guess, but I just couldn't connect to it. I think it accurately looked at some of the current obstacles we have to solving these problems: the silence of the current pledges, the blind eye some professors and admin turn for sake of "tradition" or not wanting to get too involved, current members not seeing the problem because "they went through it, so the pledge can do," students on the outside of the process feeling the need to just go with the flow even when they see their friends suffering. Other organizations use this term as it speaks to the trials and tribulations that people face and rise above in life. Burning Sands takes place at a fictitious HBCU, Frederick Douglass University, during the Lambda Phi fraternitys Hell Week. It was imperative to prevent anything like this from happening again. What do you think the film did well?Nothing really. 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. Torn (Ednaswap song) 1:21. I would be very hesitant about showing something like that in front of white audiences; it feeds into the narrative that black men are savages. Words . [3] It was released on March 10, 2017, by Netflix. The episode opens with the family finding Frank hovering near death on the couch after his attempted suicide by a heroin overdose, but aside from Liam, no one particularly seems to care if he lives or dies. What do you think the film did well?I believe that it gave the viewer a look into a very exclusive world. I learned to make something out of nothing. What are your thoughts on that?I think the purpose of the film was to start a serious conversation about the severity of underground pledging. We have members of Delta Sigma Theta, Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi, too. 2:54. 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. I wasn't offended because I know these things still, unfortunately, happen, so for me to not honor the truth is offensive to current and prospective members. The genres of the film Burning Sands is/are Drama, . She did not disclose the cause or time of the death, but asked for "privacy of . If you havent seen the whole movie, dont pass judgment, the New Orleans native said. I can go from the boardroom to happy hour without changing. Despite the advice, the young neophyte fraternity brothers wait together at the hospital awaiting the fate of their friend, Frank. (as Isiah Donte Lee) Film Editing by Evan Schrodek Casting By Kim Coleman Production Design by Erik Louis Robert Art Direction by Allison Lopes Set Decoration by Juli Kunke Style + Culture, delivered straight to your inbox. Though many Shameless fans hoped Fiona would return for the series finale, she only appears in flashbacks as Frank looks back on his life. Pledging a fraternity or sorority is not the same as hazing. No one dies in School Daze,but in real life people die all the time.. This store requires javascript to be enabled for some features to work correctly. Legend of the Burning Sands. Jackson said he chose this project to convey a message. Information Japanese Version Information Location Information Battleground 6 Wild Doges spawn after 8 seconds 240f, delay 16.67~20 seconds 500f~600f. Despite the advice, the young neophyte fraternity brothers wait together at the hospital awaiting the fate of their friend, Frank. Based on feedback from people who arent Greek-affiliated, the positive characteristics of these organizations arent portrayed prominently enough in the film to indicate that the negative experiences that it depicts are exceptions to the norm. 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. I felt it was pretty accurate in the sense that it depicted how modern-day pledging has lost its way; although being a member of an organization brings status and a network, is it worth the loss of self-dignity and respect? They are: The first kingdom players start their conquest in the Great Empire. Burning Sands Area 10 is the tenth stage in Ashvini Desert . Adams started with Beneath Burning Sands with the very early awakening of a mixed group of scientists and military personnel put together by by our all seeing military mind which had the idea of human survival and of course our military survival. This time around, Sands, a human rights lawyer, follows the trail of a big fish who was never caught: Otto Wchter, a high-ranking Nazi . Nuwer notes that these traditions arent exclusive to fraternities and sororities. The film did not depict how BGLOs run their organizations or the principles of public service or scholarship. Do we really understand the difference between being made and being made right? While pledging, I was never disrespected. So, whatever they throw at me while pledging will only make me better and prepare me for the real world. And this movie really promotes brotherhood. It leaves it up to the audience to interpret, which for me, isn't necessarily a bad thing at all. After filming this, I talked to my team and I was like, Guys, we do need something a little light., I cant cry everyday, he added.