Obama's Post-Presidency Film 'Rustin'

Released on Netflix on November 3, 2023, the film 'Rustin' is a biographical film depicting the life of Bayard Rustin, a Black civil rights activist. Notably, this film focuses primarily on Rustin's role in the successful organization of the 1963 March on Washington.

Bayard Rustin (Coleman Domingo) had been dedicated to the civil rights movement even before the 1960s. From a young age, he openly embraced his homosexuality and actively advocated for LGBTQ+ rights. He also actively participated in the Black liberation movement, drawing upon the communist ideology prevalent in the early part of the last century.

This background caused many Black civil rights leaders of the 1960s to distance themselves from him. It was difficult enough to fight against racial discrimination, and his identity gave white supremacists grounds to attack. Therefore, instead of taking a leading role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, he worked as an organizer behind the scenes.

This film not only highlights Rustin's work in organizing the Black civil rights movement but also intensely focuses on the hardships he faced due to his identity. The film particularly emphasizes the impressive depiction of Martin Luther King Jr. (Armel Armin) expressing his support for Rustin. Rustin is known to have shared King's belief in peaceful methods of civil rights activism since the 1956 Montgomery bus boycott.

The preparation process for the 1963 March on Washington is portrayed in the most suspenseful manner in this film. He contacted Black civil rights organizations across the country and checked on the number of restrooms and sandwiches needed. He also negotiated with the police to ensure the peaceful progress of the demonstration. His dedication made Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech a reality.**

Given that the film focuses on the life of a lesser-known civil rights movement organizer, it seemed unlikely to achieve widespread commercial success. However, former US President Barack Obama is involved in the production of this film. After leaving the presidency, Obama founded a film production company called Higher Ground Productions and signed a distribution agreement with Netflix.

He is producing various films on topics of interest to him to convey social messages. 'American Factory,' released in 2019, is a documentary film that garnered significant attention for its exploration of the US labor environment.