What is a human life worth after a hazing death? Despite the advice, the young neophyte fraternity brothers wait together at the hospital awaiting the fate of their friend, Frank. Adams started with Beneath Burning Sands with the very early awakening of a mixed group of scientists and military personnel put together by by our all seeing military mind which had the idea of human survival and of course our military survival. But again, I think theres a way to start that conversation and create a film that shows why BGLOs are great and not the bad stereotypes. To Rokugani, the Burning Sands are a gaijin enigma. McMurray said fraternity brothers and others have questioned why hes tackling the topic of hazing because they think it will tarnish the image of black fraternities and sororities. Matrix/Take: B-27626/5. Five young men pledge Lambda Lambda Phi Fraternity at the historically Black institution, Frederick Douglass University. The story is told through the eyes of a black fraternity pledge. I was embarrassed because, as a proud member of a BGLO, movies like this erase any respectful thoughts my wife had of my fraternity experience. All have different reasons for pledging but the one goal is to become part of the brotherhood. Promising student Zurich opens his eyes to some hard truths when his fraternity's violent hazing escalates into a disastrous hell night. Lauren Babb, American University '14, former member of Delta Sigma Theta. Burning Sandsdirector is a Howard University alum and amember of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. They inspired other young blacks to go to college and even provided college scholarships to high school students. Running time: 102 MIN. We rarely see black people in college, he said. 2:54. Instead of highlighting the important reasons people join sororities and fraternities forfamily lineage, support system, seeking personal and professional growthit created a narrative that was negative. Genre: Drama. One night the hazing goes too far and a big brother advises the pledge class to drop off a seriously injured pledge at the emergency room but to avoid the cameras. Find out where to watch online amongst 45+ services including Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video. But anti-hazing rules have driven his Hell Week underground, and the veteran members of his fraternity have degenerated into a pack of vicious, drunken, sadistic louts. For me, it meant that I completed one of the most arduous treks of my life. What would you have changed about the film?I would have made it less about the parties and girls, more about brotherhood, academia, and leadership. Rarely has the big-screen spotlight shone so directly on African-American college life, which is here rendered as a milieu at once distinctly black (the thudding hip-hop at frat parties; the step-dancing routines that take place at those shindigs, as well as in public campus spaces), and yet not all that different than any other sort of university setting, awash as it is in the usual mix of personalities, peer pressures and academic types. However, March 9 was a much bigger deal for me because it was the 50th anniversary of the day my dad crossed the burning sands of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity at Florida A&M University (FAMU). Also that I am my sister's keeper. The 1988 comedic drama School Daze, which Lee wrote and directed, follows the hazing rituals of the fictional Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity. Average Rating (4 ratings) To the north of the Empire of Rokugan, lies a mysterious land called the Burning Sands, where great empires clash, where deadly intrigues abound in the great Jewel of the Desert, and where intrigue and war are one in the same. Looking at the film, I am not even sure why anyone would have wanted to join Lambda Phi, based off of how they conducted themselves on campus. This store requires javascript to be enabled for some features to work correctly. Frank Sutton, who played the gruff sergeant foil to Jim Nabors' country bumpkin Gomer Pyle, was a talented actor on screen, tube and stage. It is said to be the Western hemispheric branch of an Arabic vigilante organization founded by the prophet Mohammed's son-in-law Kalif Alee. Below is a list of cards from The Awakening that we need better scans of. How do you feel about the way in which Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) and the HBCU experience were portrayed in this movie?I believe BGLOs and the HBCU experience was portrayed as very superficial. If you havent seen the whole movie, dont pass judgment, the New Orleans native said. But she was very supportive of me as a first-time director. How black Utah Jazz players have embraced Salt Lake City, The King is crowned: The true and actual arrival of LeBron James, The Undefeated 44: African Americans who shook up the world, Canada is now one of the worlds top sources of elite prep basketball recruits, beef between two hip-hop artists and the beef goes beyond the actual song as in Remy Ma vs. Nicki Minaj, the University of Oregon strength coach was suspended after pushing three players too hard, thus forcing them to be hospitalized. I didnt know how I would handle a woman of her caliber. Members thinkweve always done it, were kind of an extraordinary group ourselves and we can get through this.'. Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first black sorority, would be founded two years later in 1908 (Michelle Obama and tennis great Zina Garrison are members). The film is an ode to brotherhood, a . I admit that simply pledging (or being hazed) doesnt ensure greatness. As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film? Frank M. Sands Sr. (MBA '63), a visionary investment manager who left an indelible mark on the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, passed away at his home on 18 March.. For me, pledging a fraternity meant much more than just wearing some letters and being popular. Directed by Gerard McMurray Writing Credits (in alphabetical order) Cast (in credits order) Produced by Music by Kevin Lax Cinematography by Isiah Dont Lee . These young pledges, reaching out to members, who were once in their shoes and are now excelling in their particular field, was a point of the film I enjoyed. What do you think the film did well?I think people went into the film wanting to be entertained by the HBCU/BGLO experience, but instead, they were educated. Could these athletes have become better from something less strenuous? It's important to embody those values to empower pledgees so that these same problematic practices don't continue. We reached out to 12 men and women who are members of the Divine Nine (the nickname for the nine Black Greek Letter Organizations)and asked them to share their reactions to the film. Frank's Death. A lot of the people who are involved are athletes: its been ingrained in them from a young age not to quit and thats important to them.. In January 2016, it was announced Gerard McMurray would direct the film, from a screenplay by himself and Christine Berg, while Stephanie Allain, Jason Michael Berman of Mandalay Pictures, Reginald Hudlin and Shawn Knapp will serve as producers on the film alongside Netflix. During the era of underground pledging, there continues to be a constant when it comes to lawsuits, serious injuries and deaths at the hands of the Divine Nine organizations. The movie Burning Sands is about a fraternity hazing gone wrong. I read an article that stated that since 2000 there have been 60 reported fraternity/sorority related deaths and 40 have been from white frats. Leticia Hunt, Tuskegee University '12, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. 12 brothers and sisters tell us what they think. I learned to make something out of nothing. Mark Sands Organizer Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber, United Kingdom Created February 13, 2023 Funerals & Memorials Report fundraiser Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help Easy Donate quickly and easily. According to hazing expert Hank Nuwer, there has been at least one death every year from 1969 to 2016 as a result of hazing, initiation and pledging-related accidents. He suggests, however, that education on the practice and an improved definition is likely to reduce rituals. The social and networking component of black Greek life is quite amazing due to the global reach of the Divine Nine. How do you feel about the way in which BGLOs experience was portrayed in this movie?I think it gave a snapshot of what pledging can look like. The Netflix film, Burning Sands (2017), is described online as: "Zurich Condoll (Trevor Jackson) is a student at Frederick Douglass University and is proud to be a pledge at a famous African-American fraternity. It showcased the mentorship that exists within all of our organizations. What would you have changed about the film?I would have liked to get deeper into the conversations of why the pledges were dealing with it and what was stopping them truly from either saying something in the moment or something to someone after. His latest book, "The Ratline," is a gripping sequel. $24.99. What do you think the film did well?I believe that it gave the viewer a look into a very exclusive world. Considering that this film was not just for BGLO audiences, those who aren't members of an org may still be confused about certain aspects of the experience. It shows how a pledgeship can go so wrong, and what we can do to prevent a meaningless death. Burning Sands By Frank Touby Rated 5.00 / 5 based on 1 review Before the catastrophic BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico all earth was threatened by the oil disaster in the Persian Gulf over 700 oil wells were set on fire by Saddam Hussein. Some 1,600 homes and buildings have been destroyed. As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film?I was not personally. Why not focus on a band specifically and show the good and then the turmoil? She did not disclose the cause or time of the death, but asked for "privacy of . $24.99. Im also asked why I would let someone haze me just to be part of an organization. My favorite actors Denzel Washington and Michael Shannon are people who go there. Black fraternities and sororities on campuses provide images of young black men and women that mainstream media dont show. He lived and died, quite literally, for his profession as an actor, but there was a side that few outside celebrity circles knewFrank Sutton the cultured Ivy League grad and serious student of theatre history. [5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average rating of 63 out of 100, based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6]. From its opening sequence, in which Frank suffers the repercussions of protecting Zurich from mistreatment, Burning Sands pulls no punches in its depiction of the horrors that would-be frat boys willingly tolerate to join their coveted Greek ranks. Dri Fit, UPF 50+, Moisture Wicking, Breathable, Recycled Material, Wrinkle Free Collar. It was a very creative and collaborative process.. Pledging a fraternity or sorority is not the same as hazing. Such ambiguity is also felt in a finale that finds Zurich and company coping with tragedy, and in the process, figuring out to whom theyre truly loyal. Despite the advice, the young neophyte fraternity brothers wait together at the hospital awaiting the fate of their friend, Frank. Besides to my dad being part of Omega Psi Phi, my mom, aunts and cousins are all members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (former U.S. attorney general Loretta Lynch and tennis legend Wilma Rudolph are members). The episode opens with the family finding Frank hovering near death on the couch after his attempted suicide by a heroin overdose, but aside from Liam, no one particularly seems to care if he lives or dies. Being that the focus was on excessive hazing, there should have been more light shed on the positive aspects other than stepping and parties. Most residents. The movie leaves you feeling empty, like there's no real meaning behind it all, and that's the whole point; it's just like the hazing death that it portrays. How do we break these cycles? Members of fraternities who dont take part in initiations are oftenshunned duringtheir college career and excluded from social events. His participation was voluntary he was seemingly attempting to earn a leadership role within the Florida A&M Marching band. But questions remain about the world: Who created the monstrosities that roam the lands? Its a saga of brutal physical and emotional violence, and the question lingering over it is: are these Greek men figuratively, if not also literally, adopting the tactics of slave-owners against each other? Comfortable sweater keeps me warm without overheating. Zurich takes out his cell phone and calls his dad, realizing why his father never joined the fraternity, and the movie ends. According to CNN, the last three defendants were convicted of manslaughter and are serving time in prison. There are some who are attracted to the parties and boisterousness of particular organizations. The way the pledges were treated, as well as the hazing, was somewhat dramatized. Laci Jordan, University of Alabama '11, Delta Sigma Theta. 2017 | Maturity Rating: 18+ | 1h 42m | Dramas. Based on feedback from people who arent Greek-affiliated, the positive characteristics of these organizations arent portrayed prominently enough in the film to indicate that the negative experiences that it depicts are exceptions to the norm. It goes back to the adage of who polices the police? Burning Sands is the new Netflix movie that focuses on the story of 5 young black men trying to become members of Lamba Phi, one of the top fraternities at their HBCU. No one dies in School Daze,but in real life people die all the time.. My grades were the best theyd ever been because I was disciplined throughout the whole process. Zurich is joined in his fraternity quest by four mates, only two of whomangrier Frank (Tosin Cole) and nerdy Square (DeRon Horton)are really defined by McMurray and Christine Bergs screenplay. Replace art with better scans where needed. I do think it was a missed opportunity to give a more rounded portrayal of black greek organizations even though there were a few scenes that did that. I would add the consequences. Michael Walker (2016): Died of alcohol poisoning. What was your initial reaction after watching Burning Sands? big brothers beating Frank until he 02:15 falls to the ground and starts foaming 02:17 at the mouth you know Frank the action 02:20 ceases as everyone realizes that Frank 02:23 needs. And once I crossed the burning sands, it did become harder. From Zurichs alienation from his father (whose texts he wont return), to his strained relationship with the girlfriend (Imani Hakim) who disapproves of his frat dreams, to his feelings of obligation to the dean (Steve Harris) who helped get him a spot on Lambdas pledge roster, Burning Sands uses standard narrative conventions to forward a subtle, but powerful, point about racial equality. If youve seen season 2 of American Crime,you know the 20-year-old actor has a commanding presence. I believe this was absolutely necessary. But its the reference to slave-owners methodsat the start of a story about African-American men doing analogous, terrible things to other African-American menwhich hovers over the remainder of the proceedings. In BURNING SANDS, Zurich (Trevor Jackson) is a new student at Frederick Douglas University who is trying to survive as a fraternity pledge during "Hell Week.""Hell Week" is a time when fraternity pledges are made to endure a plethora of humiliations from fraternity brothers -- if Zurich can make it through "Hell Week," he will be a member of one of the most prestigious fraternities on campus . So much of black Greek life and mystique are based on secrecy and discretion. It would have helped give balance to the film. In 2011, a drum major at Florida A&M named Robert Champion died after being beaten and hazed on a bus. As a member of a Black Greek Letter Organization, were you personally offended at any point during the film?Offended? Narrow Escape! It was fairly accurate, but with films like this and othersStomp the Yard,Drumline,etc.they won't ever give the completely perfect picture to the experience because each HBCU and the chapters of those organizations are unique and different. Thats just me, though. I cant ignore, however, what seems like an increasing number of incidents. Do not be fearful to speak out against foul behavior during a pledge process. In The Burning Maze, the third book in The Trials of Apollo, Jason Grace is killed by Emperor Caligula while in battle. Sports team initiations in the UK are well publicised and examples of hazing exist in most countries. The Burning Sands, also known in the Rokugani tongue as the Yakeru yoni Atsui, was the name given to the great arid area to the north and west of the Empire of Rokugan. Is Burning Sands streaming? Life at an HBCU is a constant balancing act between academia, individual growth, and social life. [2], The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2017. Powerful Send help right to the people and causes you care about. The film was a good eye-opener for prospective, current, and alumni BGLO members. In 2014, Armando Villa was found dead in a ditch in the Angeles National Forest. I absolutely love everything about it. I leaned a lot not just through our communication but also just watching her and Steve (Harris) do what they do, he said. It's tough to watch because I was in the shoes of those pledges, but it's something I vowed to never partake in once I was a member. McMurrays film isnt nearly as stylized as Neels, taking a more straightforward aesthetic approach to its material. I think the film did a good job of explaining that there are certain responsibilities given to members of an organization while bringing pledges through. Many times people can overstep boundaries or forget their responsibilities, and that is usually what leads to misfortune in the process. Burning Sands Area 10 is the tenth stage in Ashvini Desert . Following 1908, there would be four more black fraternities and three more black sororities created, all boasting their own illustrious history, members and contributions to American and world history. The release date of the film Burning Sands is , 2017. Was he trying to make these athletes better, or did he go too far? I actually received a 4.0 GPA while I was pledging. From the time I played little league sports to the time I entered corporate America, Ive experienced some form of hazing. What was your initial reaction after watching Burning Sands?I watched the film after hearing quite a number of negative reviews, so I didnt have the highest expectations, to begin with, but I dont think it was as bad as some people made it out to be. On this tortured earth, humanity is gone. 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