This action movie about tradition and change, African and African American representation, power structures and sovereignty marks the first film of the superhero genre with a predominantly black cast and reminds us, that “[…] in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers.” Set in Wakanda, a technologically advanced nation in East Africa posing as a Third World country to the outer world, the viewers follow T’Challa, who is about to become the new king or ‘Black Panther’. Ages ago, a meteorite containing the powerful substance ‘vibranium’ caused a war between the five tribes of Wakanda but affected by the substance the first ‘Black Panther’ united the people with his superpower. Over centuries, they learned to use ‘vibranium’ as a resource of progress and new technologies to develop a futuristic but isolated civilisation. The unsettling danger of ‘vibrianium’ falling into the wrong hands remains until the present day and it is on T’Challa to determine Wakanda’s future…

The film offers perspectives on nationalism, political speeches, history (e.g. colonialism, slavery, Black Power Movement) and racial inequity and inequality. According to the Bundestzentrale für Politische Bildung, the film is suitable for an interdisciplinary teaching project with Politics, History, Arts and Social Studies.

Film · United States