Will I Die Because I Am Black?

“Will I Die Because I Am Black” explores the murder of George Floyd through the eyes of a young African American man.

  • Christian Lee
    Director
  • Christian Lee
    Producer
  • Justin Young
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Christian Lee
    Editor
  • Christian Lee
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 minute 48 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 31, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Whittier Christian High School
  • Newark International FIlm Festival
    Newark, New Jersey
    United States
    September 12, 2020
    New Jersey Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Our Voices Film Festival
    Vancouver, British Columbia
    Canada
    September 2, 2020
    North American Premiere
    Finalist
  • Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Canada
    October 9, 2020
    Nova Scotia Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 40th Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
    Minneapolis, Minnesota
    United States
    May 14, 2021
    Minnesota Premiere
    Finalist
  • Central Film Festival
    Springfield, Missouri
    United States
    April 10, 2021
    Missouri Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Lift-Off Global Network Sessions
    Iver, England
    United States
    October 10, 2020
    England Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Christian Lee

Christian Lee is a New York Times published photographer and a National YoungArts Winner whose work received international recognition from over thirty competitions & publications, including the Sony World Photography Awards, Vogue Italia’s PhotoVogue, W.W. Norton & Company, Fujifilm, the University of Cambridge, and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. He works as a High School Insider journalist for the Los Angeles Times.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Words cannot express the sadness I felt after seeing the video of George Floyd, lying on the ground, as a Minnesota police officer knelt on his neck. Confused, shocked, and unable to process what I had seen, I called one of my best friends, Justin. We talked about the murder and the subsequent protests/riots around the world. He told me how personal everything was to him and how it deeply impacted the entire African American community. Moved by his eloquent expressions, I asked if I could interview him over FaceTime for a documentary. Over a couple hours, I recorded pieces of our conversation on racism and police brutality. Using the raw footage, I assembled a short film about the pain of racial violence in this country and the effect it has had on every single person.