ABOUT THE FILM

LOGLINE

Kaepernick & America explores the intersection between Colin Kaepernick’s anthem protests and the reactions they spurred in the United States, revealing unique insights into America’s ongoing racial turmoil.

LONG SYNOPSIS

It was the summer of 2016, an election year with unrest rumbling through America. There were countless triggers—the murder videos of Philando Castille and Alton Sterling, the counterpunch of Alt-Right and Fake News, Black Lives Matter, Russian meddling—a discordant national cauldron ready to boil over. It was the birth of Trumpism, but nobody knew it yet.

Then, Colin Kaepernick took a knee and America lost its mind. Kaep’s knee touched down on the divide between America’s Black and white tectonic plates, creating an earthquake in the eternal race debate. The aftershocks of his singular gesture have already rippled through our country for years.

Kaepernick himself answered any and all thoughtful questions for a time, then stopped talking. And the resulting quiet has allowed for a thoughtful examination of the man and his story. It reveals layer upon layer of surprises and contradictions. Raised in a white family, he became a Black quarterback, while in fact, he is an adopted, biracial man. Inherently shy, he became the center of attention. The man everyone was talking about was mostly silent. He took a stand by taking a knee.

Kaepernick & America examines the man and his protest, exploring the remarkable conflict stirred by such a symbolic gesture.

Directors Tommy Walker, Ross Hockrow

Producers Bill Stephney, Gary Cohen, Matt McDonald

Executive Producers Don Lemon, John Battsek

Editor Ross Hockrow

Cinematographer Scott Beer

Cast Don Lemon, Hue Jackson, April Dinwoodie, Steve Wyche, Nate Boyer, DeRay Mckesson, Pam Oliver

FESTIVALS
2022: Tribeca

AWARDS
Audience Award (Alexander Valley AVFest)

AVAILABLE TERRITORIES
The World

EXHIBITION FORMATS
DCP, Digital Download