Born Free (music video)

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This article is about the M.I.A. music video. For the Kid Rock music video, see Born Free (Kid Rock song) § Music video.

Born Free
Directed by
Maya Arulpragasam
StarringIan Hamrick
CinematographyAndre Chemetoff
Music byMaya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam
Distributed byXL Recordings
Interscope Geffen A&M
Release date
26 April 2010 (premiere)
Running time
9:06
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$250,000 (estimated)

"Born Free" is the

Tamil males by the Sri Lankan Army filmed on mobile phones in Sri Lanka, some of which had been broadcast by news outlets worldwide, inspired the treatment for the film-video. The video's portrayal of military force, violence and brutality met with a positive critical reception, but much controversy worldwide, including a ban from YouTube in the US and UK. Some critics hailed its representation of oppression and political turmoil, while others criticized the more explicit material. The way the film was shot and the themes it covered drew comparisons to previous works by the artist, and other writer-directors' films such as The Hurt Locker and Punishment Park. It earned a nomination for "Best Dance Video" at the 2010 UK Music Video Awards
.

Development

The music video-short film, filmed in

U.S. Army returning from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; the video also features fake blood and ketchup imported from China.[5] Gavras went on to direct the film Our Day Will Come
, a continuation of the ginger-genocide theme of the video-short.

Synopsis

M.I.A.'s dancer "WhyteBoi" from the /\/\/\Y/\ Tour appears in the film.

The film is over nine minutes long and depicts a

minefield.[7][8][9]
During the course of events, a young red-headed boy is shot through the head, and another is blown to pieces after stepping on a live mine while the soldiers continue to chase, beat, and shoot the captives.

The "Born Free" film includes graphic violence and language, as well as nudity. Ian Hamrick, the 12-year-old red-haired actor whose character is shot in the head in the film, described the video as "showing violence to end violence." He felt a potency in the video absent from far more graphic video game media such as Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto.[10][11] Giving more details on his role in an interview to the Los Angeles Times, Hamrick said M.I.A. complimented his work on set, stating "She wanted to make sure I was OK, that I knew what was happening and why she killed [my character]. I said I did, that she really accomplished her goal of getting people to talk about something they don’t usually see."[11]

Release and critical response

The music video was partly filmed at the Lancaster, California desert, imaged above

On 26 April 2010, the music video was released online and was immediately noted as political allegory, drawing parallels to genocides and many indigenous resistance movements around the world.[12] Its content elicited strong, widespread discussion across the world. Real life parallels were drawn with the issue of immigration in the American state of Arizona, the treatment of prisoners by U.S. troops at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, and, more universally, the brutal tactics used against minorities by government forces around the world.[7]

Katheryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker (2009), Oren Moverman's The Messenger (2009) and Green Zone (2010) written by Brian Helgeland and directed by Paul Greengrass, where focus was almost entirely on the psychological experiences of military personnel, continuing "Rarely do we ever catch a glimpse of the locals, whom we are supposed to be helping, unless they are being blown up or used as plot devices to heighten the suspense."[16] Other critics also pointed to differences between "Born Free" and Bigelow's The Hurt Locker but similarities between the video and Peter Watkins' Punishment Park (1971).[15]

Slant stated "what stuck with me is the furious dignity it accords the main tracksuit-wearing prisoner, and the amount of anger it allows him to deliver....I recognized within him and the band of rock-throwing dissidents that pelt the armored bus a sense of kinship relevant to anyone who occupies a minority class." While he felt that "the clip is but a metaphor, and not entirely successfully so, when the pitbull-faced, tenement-snatched redhead boy is slammed against an iron fence and still dares to glare into the eyes of his attackers, I want to be right there by his side fucking their shit up."[21]

Aftermath

Palestinian hip hop group DAM and singer Sabreena Da Witch told MTV Iggy that they saw the video as a "grander metaphor for society" and persecution in areas of political turmoil.[24]

The British network

Beatbullying charity found the video "inappropriate" as it could "lead to more abuse against red-haired people." Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian told the network "I think M.I.A. is making the point that if we segregated all ginger people as a minority - in the same way as black and Asian people - there would be an enormous outcry, and that we don't seem to get the same reaction when black people are treated in this way." She also stated that M.I.A. depicted violence in order to make a political point, in a way different from gangsta rap.[25] Hamrick was to be prominently featured in the video for "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" by Shakira and Freshlyground, the official 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem but his appearance was allegedly recut to a crowd scene following the "Born Free" video release. "Waka Waka"'s producers responded that Hamrick was always meant to be an extra in the video and that this was not due to the controversy. Hamrick said of "Born Free" that he was really "proud to be a part of M.I.A.'s shout-out to the world" because "it was a great chance to tell everyone that bully’s [sic] suck no matter what country you are from."[26][27]

Gavras was more reassured that audiences talked about the subject by themselves, than explaining the video himself as the debate over the video heightened, although he questioned "How can you be shocked by the M.I.A. video and not shocked when Israel bombs Gaza for days and days...Really crazy stuff where people actually die, real things."[18] Vincent Cassel, star of Gavras' film Our Day Will Come, stated he found the video "scary, shocking and totally crazy" on the first viewing, and added "If it would have been with any kind of community it would have been terrible, but suddenly it's redheads, so it's like a symbol of a quest that doesn't really exist." Thus the video also seemed "strange and funny" to him.[28]

M.I.A. stated in an interview to MTV News that she found the reaction to the film "fascinating" but that she was baffled by the media's fixation on the clip when real issues were ignored, stating "I think it's interesting how we react to fiction and how we react to realism on the internet... this is mainstream media, I wish I was talking about way more underground theories, but [I'm] not, this is just me digesting what I see in the mainstream."[29] She joked to NME that she found the new Justin Bieber video "more of an assault to my eyes and senses than what I've made".[30] A few weeks later, in an interview with Angie Martinez of Hot 97 radio station in New York City, she said "I said I love Justin Bieber and everyone like went crazy. It's weird. No, I said that I found his video offensive, because people said they found my video offensive [...] It got out of hand, Now I feel really bad coz I have some family members who love Justin Bieber, and now they won't talk to me, I need my little cousins to talk to me!"[31]

A week after its release on

VEVO, without users having to sign in to prove they were 18 or older. The raw video is also on M.I.A.'s website. The video has been viewed over 30 million times on the internet.[18][34]

YouTube controversy and response

Video sharing website YouTube removed the film from viewing in the United States within a day of its posting. Some other uploads of the video were subsequently age-gated on the site, while others were removed due to copyright claims. YouTube stated that they did not comment on individual clips on the site but said that videos were removed only after users reported videos that could "contravene guidelines."[34] Commentators proposed different reasons for the actions, from the graphic "excessive" violence depicted to political censorship. On 27 April, the BBC reported that the video was being removed in some instances by YouTube, and labelled with an age-restriction in others. Neither M.I.A. or her record label XL Recordings commented on the development in the weeks following the release.[35] Lisa Respers France wrote in CNN that the YouTube block may have worked in M.I.A.'s favor as it brought more publicity.[36] M.I.A. tweeted she initially suspected her US parent label Universal Music Group to be responsible but confirmed it was not soon after.[37] The singer-rapper stated that she found YouTube's action on the video "ridiculous", citing YouTube's streaming of real-life killings.[38][39] Miranda Sawyer of The Observer noted that although the metaphor in the video was obvious, the illustration was graphic and "some might say gratuitous". M.I.A. told Sawyer "It's just fake blood and ketchup and people are more offended by that more than the execution videos" referring to the clips of Sri Lankan troops shooting unarmed, blindfolded, naked men in the head that she tweeted beforehand, later telling French music magazine Mondomix "It’s amazing to me that is the state we're in today – people are more moved by something synthetic than something real. And as an artist that’s the decision you have to make – whether to be real or synthetic."[38][40] Similarly, Erin Thomson of Seattle Weekly concurred that the violence in the video was not gratuitous, noting that as an artist, M.I.A. "never pretended to be anything less than radical; she's never shied away from shock value. She comes from a world where persecution and terrorism are the norm, and from day one that's been the world she's tried to portray through her music."[41]

war crimes
committed during the conflict.

References

  1. ^ "La lettre édifiante de Romain Gavras au CNC". surlering.com (in French). 28 April 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  2. ^ Mackay, Emily (16 January 2010). "MIA interview". NME. p. 26.
  3. ^ Stroumboulopoulos, George (Interviewer), M.I.A. (Interviewee) (15 January 2011). "M.I.A.". The Hour (TV-Series). Toronto, Canada. 9:04 minutes in. CBC Television.
  4. ^ "M.I.A. Producer: 'Born Free' Video Started As Joke; New Album Will 'Scare People'". VIBE. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  5. ^ Jian Ghomeshi (Interviewer), M.I.A. (Interviewee) (18 October 2010). "M.I.A. Uncut". Q. Toronto, Canada. CBC Radio. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  6. ^ Galil, Leor (26 April 2010). "Finding meaning in M.I.A.'s 'Born Free' video - Leor Galil - Ex-Spectator". True/Slant. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  7. ^ a b c James Montgomery (26 April 2010). M.I.A. Releases Brutally Graphic Video for 'Born Free'. MTV. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  8. ^ Amy Phillips. "Watch the Extremely NSFW M.I.A. Video". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  9. ^ "MIA releases violent video for new song 'Born Free'". NME. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  10. ^ "Child 'killed' in MIA's 'Born Free' video defends singer". NME. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  11. ^ a b Brown, August (10 May 2010). "Twelve-year-old Ian Hamrick on his gruesome death in M.I.A.'s 'Born Free' video". Los Angeles Times. Pop & Hiss blog. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  12. Metro
    . 27 April 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  13. The Huffington Post
    . 26 April 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  14. ^ Zach Baron (26 April 2010). M.I.A.'s "Born Free" Video: Police Brutality, Mass Redhead Genocide, and Exploding Humans Archived 29 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine. The Village Voice. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  15. ^ a b Powers, Ann (27 April 2010). "M.I.A. makes her stance utterly clear with 'Born Free' video". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  16. ^ a b Douglas Haddow (1 May 2010). The real controversy of MIA's video The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  17. ^ MTV Newsroom (22 June 2010). "M.I.A. Learned From The 'Born Free' Controversy'". MTV. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  18. ^ a b c Cochrane, Lauren (25 September 2010). "Romain Gavras: Born Free director is no stranger to Stress". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  19. ^ Ulaby, Neda. "From Elvis To Lady Gaga: Playing With Shock Value in Music". NPR. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  20. ^ Mary Elizabeth Williams (27 April 2010). Does M.I.A.'s genocide video go too far?. Salon. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  21. ^ Eric Henderson (29 April 2010). Music Video: M.I.A.'s "Born Free". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  22. ^ a b "M.I.A. music video banned from". YouTube. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  23. ^ "M.I.A.'s 'Born Free' Video Banned from YouTube for Graphic Violence - Viral Videos". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  24. ^ Quinlan, Adriane (30 April 2010). "Arab Rappers Weigh in on M.I.A.'s "Born Free" Video". Mtv Iggy. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  25. ^ "M.I.A.: 'Ginger Genocide' Music Video Born Free Slammed By Bullying Charity, Defended By Actor | Showbiz News | Sky News". News.sky.com. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  26. ^ Paskin, Willa. "Shakira Video Snubs Redhead Who Got Shot in the Head in M.I.A. Video - Vulture". Nymag.com. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  27. ^ Baron, Zach (4 May 2010). "Getting Child-Murdered in an M.I.A. Video May Not Be the Best Career Decision, It Turns Out - New York Music - Sound of the City". Blogs.villagevoice.com. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  28. ^ "MIA 'Born Free' video was shocking and funny, says Vincent Cassel - Music News". Digital Spy. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  29. ^ "M.I.A. 'fascinated by Born Free reaction' - Music News". Digital Spy. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  30. ^ "MIA plays down controversy over execution video". The Daily Telegraph. London. 12 May 2010.
  31. ^ "Mia Hot 97". YouTube. 25 June 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  32. ^ Most blogged artists: M.I.A., The xx, Jamaica. The Independent. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  33. ^ Most blogged artists: Sleigh Bells, Kelis, The Books. The Independent. 3 May 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  34. ^ a b Kiss, Jemima (28 April 2010). "MIA's redheads video gets a wrist-slap from YouTube – and coverage in China". The Guardian. London.
  35. ^ M.I.A video 'removed by YouTube'. BBC. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  36. ^ "M.I.A. music video elicits strong online response". CNN. 2 June 2009. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  37. ^ Maya Arulpragasam. Twitter / maya arulpragasam. Twitter. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  38. ^ a b Sawyer, Miranda (13 June 2010). "MIA: 'I'm here for the people'". The Observer. London: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  39. Dazed & Confused
    . No. 87. p. 85.
  40. Rue 89
    . Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  41. ^ "M.I.A.'s Controversial "Born Free" Music Video Gets Pulled From YouTube". Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.

External links

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