Neither Black Nor White

Description

Georgie and Finn arrive at their holiday destination. They are walking down a cobbled street with their bags in hand. Georgie, a confident white woman walks ahead, excited to settle into their Airbnb. Lagging behind, Finn, a black man is looking nervously at his phone and is frantically scrolling. As they approach yet another street, Georgie becomes impatient and suspicious about where they are going. She stops and confronts Finn, asking to look at his phone for directions. Hesitating, Finn finally admits that he didn’t manage to book the place, but he avoids explaining why. Georgie, disappointed and frustrated, belittles him and exclaims that it’s very easy to do. Annoyed and not waiting for an answer, Georgie whips out her phone and books an airbnb immediately. She starts to walk and lead the way - annoyed at Finn. We see Finn look pensive.They settle in at their Airbnb. We hear the owner in the other room, whispering to their partner about rejecting Finn’s original booking because of his race. Shocked, Georgie overhears. She glances over at Finn who is completely unaware. She decides not to say anything. The couple are in a gallery. Finn pauses at a section dedicated to colonialism and slavery, showing Georgie a photograph. He tries to explain the emotional weight it carries but Georgie only half listens and wants to keep things romantic. Later, at dinner, a white waitress is rude to Finn. Finn calls her out on it, the waitress acts confused. Georgie downplays the situation. Finn, frustrated, tells Georgie that he feels he is being treated differently because he is black. Georgie tells him he is overreacting. They argue. Finn admits why he didn’t book the original Airbnb ; his request was rejected. He explains that this happens a lot and he was too ashamed to tell her. Georgie stares at him stunned. In denial, she tells him he shouldn’t make a big deal out of it or let it ruin their trip. They eat in silence. They reluctantly make up at the end of the meal.Lying in bed, Georgie is restless. Impulsively, she slides out of bed and opens Finn’s phone finding the Airbnb app. She sees the rejected bookings. Next morning, as they are leaving, Georgie decides to confront the owner. Shaking, Georgie accuses them of racism; caught off guard they deny it. Finn at the doorway, has been watching. Unflinching, he takes Georgie’s hand, turns to the owner and assertively thanks them for a lovely stay. They walk down the street hand in hand, with their bags bumping along behind them, the weight of spoken truths. We see Finn and Georgie sitting on a bench at a station. Georgie observes the busy platform ; a black man sitting alone on a bench ; three white women sitting on a full bench next to him ; a white cleaning lady and a white business man. She stares in thought.

Biblical Connection

The polemic in the gospel is clear about not living under the law but under God’s grace. In Galations, Paul challenges the church of Galatia to live by the gospel not of the law. He confronts Peter about his refusal to sit and eat at the table with other Gentiles and while, back then, this was a focus and question of Jew and Gentile; it permeates deeper than that to confront us now ; to challenge the separation and barriers that we construct between ourselves. Neither Black nor White is rooted in Galations 3: 28 - 29 “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” I know this can be a controversial verse in its interpretation but it is clear that Paul is discussing this freedom as children of God in relation to us - human to human - person to person and how the gospel does confront and judge how we live in society. Therefore the central theme of my film is rooted in this verse.