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Exclusive Trailer: Silver Dollar Road

Watch the trailer for the powerful new documentary from Oscar nominee Raoul Peck, about one family’s fight to keep the land it’s owned for generations.

Released on 09/07/2023

Transcript

[birds cawing]

It was town is what we always called it.

Grandma's takin' us to town.

It was a beautiful memory until I became an adult

and realized some of the things that happened

that made me think this is not such a pretty place anymore.

[gentle music]

Growing up here on Silver Dollar Road was so magical.

It was the one place you could go

you wasn't worried about being targeted by the law.

That property was so valuable,

and not from a monetary standpoint,

but valuable 'cause of the history.

The first owner of the property,

he was born in slavery times.

[Granddaughter] My great-grandfather died

without a living will.

Before he died he said, Whatever you do

don't let the white man have my land.

[children snapping and clapping]

Okay. Yeah!

This is our beach. Uh-huh.

This is our land. Right?

This is our water, our club, everything.

This is our land. [gentle music]

Okay. This is ours.

Ours! Yeah!

[Child] This is our club, our experience, anything!

[Granddaughter] There's word a part of the property

being sold to someone else

that the family had no knowledge of.

We was getting threats. [thunder crashing]

They came down and put eviction notice

on Licurtis and Melvin houses.

Hey!

My uncle Melvin told me, I need your help.

If they're saying we have to sign our rights away

or go to jail, I'm going to jail.

[gentle music]

It was heartbreaking to see them chained.

[Uncle] I went in at 52 and come out at 61.

They took the best years of my life.

[slow guitar music]

We fightin' power.

We fightin' money.

♪ What are you doing ♪

They really wanted this land.

♪ Can't you see that you're breaking me down ♪

If you clear out Silver Dollar Road,

what you gonna do with us?

Whatcha you gonna do with poor people period?

♪ Will it heal my wounded heart ♪

The family can shout from the rooftops, the truth.

Nobody listened to 'em.

♪ Will you hear me before I go ♪

[Grandmother] This is ours.

Our ancestors left this here for us.

♪ Will it heal my wounded heart ♪

All of this is what you're fighting for.

♪ Hey, uh-huh ♪

♪ Uh-huh ♪

♪ Hey, uh-huh ♪