The Black Cop

Directed by Cherish Oteka

A former police officer reflects on his complicated past, confronting the moments when he suffered from racism within the force and the times when he contributed to it himself.
Gamal Turawa’s story is powerful precisely because he cannot be filed neatly under victim or villain. The Black Cop lets a gay Black former police officer admit to both enduring racism and reproducing it, which gives Cherish Oteka’s documentary short film real moral complexity. Some of the recreations soften material that might have hit harder left raw, but Turawa’s candour is remarkable and deservedly carries the film.

The Black Cop

Directed by Cherish Oteka

A former police officer reflects on his complicated past, confronting the moments when he suffered from racism within the force and the times when he contributed to it himself.

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Our Review

Gamal Turawa’s story is powerful precisely because he cannot be filed neatly under victim or villain. The Black Cop lets a gay Black former police officer admit to both enduring racism and reproducing it, which gives Cherish Oteka’s documentary short film real moral complexity. Some of the recreations soften material that might have hit harder left raw, but Turawa’s candour is remarkable and deservedly carries the film.