The Color Of Fear Fact Sheet

The Color of Fear (Part One) is an insightful, groundbreaking film about the state of race relations in America as seen through the eyes of eight North American men of Asian, European, Latino and African descent. In a series of intelligent, emotional and dramatic confrontations the men reveal the pain and scars that racism has caused them.

Produced by: Stir Fry Productions 470 3^rd St. Oakland, CA 94607 (800.370.STIR)

The Color of Fear Lee Mun Wah. Eight North American men, two African American, two Latinos, two Asian American and two Caucasian were gathered by director Lee Mun Wah, for a dialog about the state.
'color of fear' Stir Fry Productions and World Trust Institute sponsor group screenings of the film, followed by 90-minute audience discussions. To reach Stir Fry, call (510) 419-3930.

Directed by: Lee Mun Wah

VHS & DVD; TRT: 90 minutes

© 1994

Winner of the National Educational Media Award Golden Apple.

Characters in the Film:

Roberto (Mexican American)

Lee Mun Wah (Facilitator & Chinese)

David Christensen (Euro American)

Yutaka (Japanese American)

Hugh (Latino American)

David Lee (Chinese American)

Gordon (Euro American)

Victor (African American)

Loren (African American)

“The Color of Fear” is a film about the pain and anguish that racism has caused in the lives of 8 North American men of Asian, European, Latino, and African descent. Out of their confrontations and struggles to understand and trust each other emerges an emotional and insightful portrayal into the type of dialogue MOST of US fear, but hope will happen sometime in out lifetime.

This film was the first in a 3 part series that engages the issues of racism, intercultural competence, and intercultural communication in a real and intense environment.

Study Guide:

Take a moment to think about your own experience with race and ethnicity. What has it been like to be your ethnicity? What are the challenges? What are the positives?

Think about each of the responses from each of the men in the film. How might they compare with your own life story in regards to race? If you cannot make any comparisons, howcome?
Why do you think Lee Mun Wah, as the facilitator, did not “talk” very much or stop any of the conversations?
If you are male, how does it make you feel to see grown men cry? How does it make you feel to see grown men hold hands and embrace? Is that something you are accustomed to seeing? Break your answer down.
If you are a woman, where do you find yourself within the film given that these are all men? Does it bother you that some of the men cry? Explain what you mean.
Spend some time talking with someone from a different ethnicity and ask them what their experience has been like. Might there be any comparisons with your life? If so, where are they at? If not, howcome?
So what about David Christensen? What do you make of him? Do you feel sorry for him? Explain what you mean. In the film, David C is obviously dealing with deep seeded race issues. Issues that trace all the way back to his childhood. How might your own developmental process been shaped in regards to race and ethnicity? How have you been racialized?
Where do you think we are at as a nation now that president Obama has been elected? Is racism declining? Over? A dead issue? Worse now than it ever was? Discuss this among a variety of different ethnicities to get a well-rounded perspective.
How might class factor into the race issue? Do you think classism is worse than racism today? How so? And, what is your own definition of class? Share that with several friends and see what they come up with too.
What are some realistic solutions you could offer the men if they were standing in front of you today? For your friends? List out a set of racialized problems you think are issues and see what solutions might realistically work.

Things to take notice of:

Notice the copyright date. What is the significance of that? Why am I making you watch such an “old” film? How relevant can it be? Right?
What are the major/ minor issues within the film?
What points does each person make? Is it valid? How so?
Where do you find yourself within the film?
How important is ethnic ID in this film?
What are the themes that arise in the film?

Deeper probing Questions to ask / be discussed in class:

What point does Victor have when he confronts David C?
What was so important about Gordon’s direct talk about White privilege to David C? What was that all about?
What was the point of stating their ethnicity?
What did Roberto mean that the “Cure for the pain is in the pain itself?”
What did Loren mean by saying “Walk through some halls with some pride, your gonna scare somebody!”
What was so important about Lee Mun Wah playing the “Devils Advocate” with David C concerning his daughters and getting into college?
David C. stated that he would hire the right person for the job, but how does his past knowledge about minorities and “Coloreds” affect his hiring process?
Does interethnic racism put minorities down while lifting Whites up?
Does everyone have “equal footing” in society today?
How does our own personal ETHOS play a role in this film? Life?
Where are you at in the film? Which character could you be?
Why do you think they announced their ethnic background first?
How much does your past social construction of identity play a part in your own ETHOS, worldview, and stereotypes?
What about internalized racism? What is that all about? Did David Lee have a point?
When have you not intervened in the face of racism?

Connection to the Literature

How does David C represent and connect with what George Lipsitz asserts in his chapter?
What elements of White Supremacy are present in the film as laid out by Herbert Blumer?
How does a sense of group position shape how we see other racial and ethnic groups? What illustrations of that are seen in the film?
How is categorization language (Them, they, us, you people) used at different variances by David C in the film? How does that affect race and ethnicity talks?
Describe how Aguirre & Turner’s concept of colonialism, Puritan values, and the concepts/ issues of cultural and institutional legacy of early colonization connect with both the entire film and David C’s initial posture on racism? How might religion also play a role in racism?
What part does spiritual and theological understanding have as it relates to racism?
Explain what Aguirre & Turner mean by Anglo-Saxon hegemony and the dynamics of ethnicity? How is that seen through the film? Inter-ethnic discrimination? Break that down a bit.
What elements of racism is Victor talking about as he reflects to David C the problems of racism?
What roles does Gordon play in relation to Aguirre & Turner’s chapter on White ethnics?

Last Updated 4/7/2019

Daniel White Hodge PhD

CSULA