4 Little Girls (1997)

At the height of the racial tensions in Alabama in 1963, the entire American nation was shocked by a bomb exploding in a church that killed four young girls. What we now see for the next hundred minutes or so is a delicately but powerfully woven story that talks to, and reminisces with, family members of the victims whilst illustrating with a plentiful and powerful selection of archive just how generally toxic the atmosphere was in a state where segregation was rife and supported at the highest levels of it's democratically elected government. What's also quite striking about this documentary is that it makes much more of an effort than many of it's contemporaries to present a potent balance, with both live and retrospective contributions from some of the establishment individuals whose dyed-in-the-wool bigotries were actually now being challenged from sources that hitherto had been entirely faithful to the white supremacists - either passively or aggressively. The ultimate sacrifice these girls made may actually have had an unexpectedly immeasurable effect on turning the stomachs of millions of ordinary citizens whose disgust at the actions of the KKK here, and in the burnings of many other churches and chapels throughout the state, actually led to profound changes of opinion and policy in Kennedy's Washington D.C. that were enforced despite considerable local opposition. The conversations with the families is touching but it's also remarkably devoid of rancour. There is anger but surprisingly little bitterness as their periods of mourning and grief - always supported by their strong Christian faith - seem prepared to yield to progress for their entire race in a country where their second class status was both disenfranchising and humiliating. The lack of narration is also quite persuasive, allowing us to listen, to watch and to appreciate better the atrocities being routinely carried out against a population who were more than welcomed into the army during WWII, but thereafter were treated little better than cattle. It's an interestingly crafted look at just how yesterday's hatred might become tomorrow's forgiveness, and though frequently harrowing is an history that is much more enlightening than just a series of well-edited shock images, an is certainly worth a watch.