Space Traders Review 

This blog post will serve as a review of Derrick Bell’s short film, Space Traders. As a lover of all things scifi, I found myself quickly immersed in this plotline. Although the move leaves many questions unanswered, such as why do the Aliens need melanin or where do they plan to go with this huge supply of African Americans, the short film does a great job at centering its attention on the political aspect of the trade, or catastrophe. (based on who you’re asking) As a fan of World history, I couldn’t help but notice a subtle reference that displays the true colors of the colonialist European powers. The reporter states that Britain and France offered their Black population to the Aliens but the offer was rejected by the Aliens. Although, the message could be deciphered in a multitude of ways, such as to display that the African Americans are on their own, even on the global scale. I interpreted this reference through a more historical lens. France and Britain are two nations that have committed the most heinous crimes against humanity towards the African population through colonialism, and enslavement. It was a witty, yet dark way that Bell referenced Europe’s criminal past, proving that although slavery is abolished, and the colonies are free, Britain and France are quick to sell out minorities to sustain their empires. 

Another part of the movie that I found to be particularly interesting was when the group of white Americans held a meeting discussing how black people were not only relevant to the prosperity of the nation, but they were crucial for the success of their businesses. Not to undermine the role that African Americans play in the economy of the nation, but this was a particularly interesting moment in the movie that I hadn’t even thought of. The fact that one race could carry the sales of sneakers, and other by products was encrypted wonderfully into the film. Perhaps the most important sentence in the movie occurred during that scene as well. One White man acknowledged that with the disappearance of Black people, it won’t be long before poor Americans realize they are the new African Americans who are living in insufferable conditions. Arguing that the poor white people riot before the end of the year.

Overall, Space Traders is arguably one of the best short films that I have watched. The way it infuses scifi with a meaningful political message that is not only true within the future, but the past as well, all while remaining entertaining, makes this film an instant classic.