“Best Director”

★★★★

“This film will likely shock some audiences but educate them at the same time.”

An intimate and thought provoking look into the The Tulsa race massacre of 1921, reenacted and told by those that were there.

Director and writer John Hamlin takes on a tough subject in ‘Richard & Sarah: Massacre in Greenwood’ but manages to create a unique and powerful take on how best to tell it with the utmost care and authenticity. This film will likely shock some audiences but educate them at the same time, making it a must watch.

Actors Gerold Oliver and Abigail Nichol take centre stage and deliver well rounded performances. Their scenes together play out almost like a stage play which feels raw and genuine. Oliver takes on a challenging role here but handles it like a complete professional. There is a sense of dignity and realism in his portrayal of Richard, which is fresh and inspiring. The film is full of many other superb performances which all feel real and from the time period. It was also a good decision to include a mix of ages to create more balance in the films storytelling. If this was a stage play made of the film, we’d expect it to do very well.

The editing within the film is worth mentioning as there is a lot of material to work with. Not only the historical assets but the mix of reenactments and talking head interviews. But they’re all expertly blended together to create a single piece which flows well. The b&w colour grade was also a good choice as it feels like a history piece.

The cinematography from DOP Joseph Moore is done to great effect here and is a unique way of capturing a film. The spotlights and black backgrounds helps you to focus more on the performances and the story. Moore doesn’t attempt over produced techniques for the sake of it and instead uses more traditional methods to capture the story.

Overall, this is a film we feel all audiences should watch as it will not only teach them about a tragic piece in US history but also remind them of how they want their future to be.

— APEX Film Awards