Film ties MLK, China

Dart Fellow Kevin McKiernan has recently gained press attention for the release of his documentary entitled “Bringing King to China.”

As reported in the Huffington Post, the documentary follows the work of McKiernan’s daughter, Cáitrín, as she tries to bring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King’s work to China through a Clayborne Carson play about King’s speeches and letters.

In the article, David A. Love compares the civil rights oppression shown in the film to the political repression and tensions currently happening in China. He mirrors the prejudice against African-Americans in the U.S. to China’s treatment of minorities like Tibetans, and Muslim Uighurs.

While connecting the two cultures, Love added that the play showcased in the film also breaks down boundaries by having an African-American cast and Chinese cast perform together in the China for the first time.

As Love notes, the film also chronicles the trauma of war. We see how McKiernan’s daughter was affected when she incorrectly received information that her father had been killed in Iraq while working on assignment in 2006.

And while Love says that King’s message of tolerance and peace is still needed around the world, this film is a first step to disseminating the message.

The film is screening Monday, July 18th in the Ventura Film Festival in Ventura, California. An excerpt from the film is available at  http://www.bringingkingtochina.com/