“We want viewers to see the Black joy,” said Plair, the film’s supervising producer. “But we don’t shy away from the darker side.”
The documentary features interviews with former Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed, former music executive Shanti Das, and rappers Lil Jon, Ceelo Green and 21 Savage. They all share memories and discuss the epic street party’s cultural impact.
Plair, a three-time NAACP Image Award winner, spent more than a year working on the storyline, sifting through dozens of news reports, hours of interviews, and hundreds of photos and videos. She says the process was a labor of love.
During a recent visit to Atlanta for an exclusive screening, the Los Angeles resident discussed her experience as a Black woman producer on the project, along with key takeaways from the film and why you shouldn’t be afraid to watch it.
Najja Parker: Tell me your first reaction when you learned a Freaknik documentary was in the works?
Deshawn Plair: I did not get to go to Freaknik. I think the last one happened during my freshman year of high school. So it was this urban legend. When the showrunner called and was like, “hey, do you want to be a part of this,” I didn’t understand what we were going to explore. When I started to do research, I was shocked. I was blown away by the rich history and the contributions to culture.
When we announced it to the world, every auntie was so afraid because, you know, they’re church deaconesses and first ladies now. They thought it was going to be this salacious, tell-all exposé. I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised because we tell a very complex, layered story.
NP: The memes and gifs took over social media when the documentary was announced.
DP: I really hope that people see the Black joy. I really hope people learn about the true intent and origin story of what those students from the Atlanta University Center were trying to accomplish, and not what it ended up turning into. But it’s this love letter to…
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