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IMDbPro

Selma

  • 20142014
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 8m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
92K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
5,055
1,328
David Oyelowo in Selma (2014)
Selma is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition.  The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement.
Play trailer2:33
35 Videos
99+ Photos
BiographyDramaHistory
A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
92K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
5,055
1,328
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Ava DuVernay
    • Writer
      • Paul Webb
    • Stars
      • David Oyelowo
      • Carmen Ejogo
      • Oprah Winfrey
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Ava DuVernay
    • Writer
      • Paul Webb
    • Stars
      • David Oyelowo
      • Carmen Ejogo
      • Oprah Winfrey
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 291User reviews
    • 382Critic reviews
    • 80Metascore
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 58 wins & 91 nominations total

    Videos35

    Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:33
    Trailer #1
    Selma
    Trailer 2:31
    Selma
    We Are Martin Luther King Jr. | Supercut
    Clip 1:12
    We Are Martin Luther King Jr. | Supercut
    Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon Share Their Films of Hope for Difficult Times
    Clip 8:09
    Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon Share Their Films of Hope for Difficult Times
    A Guide to the Films of Ava DuVernay
    Clip 1:35
    A Guide to the Films of Ava DuVernay
    Next Great Battle
    Clip 0:34
    Next Great Battle
    Welcome Full
    Clip 1:07
    Welcome Full
    Join Us
    Clip 0:50
    Join Us
    First To Cry
    Clip 1:08
    First To Cry
    Malcolm X
    Clip 0:52
    Malcolm X
    Bingo
    Clip 0:46
    Bingo
    Exclusive Clip
    Clip 0:49
    Exclusive Clip

    Photos136

    David Oyelowo, André Holland, and Stephan James in Selma (2014)
    Lorraine Toussaint, Colman Domingo, Carmen Ejogo, David Oyelowo, Wendell Pierce, and Stephan James in Selma (2014)
    Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, and Ava DuVernay in Selma (2014)
    Lorraine Toussaint, Wendell Pierce, and Stephan James in Selma (2014)
    Tessa Thompson in Selma (2014)
    David Oyelowo and Ava DuVernay in Selma (2014)
    Tom Wilkinson in Selma (2014)
    Carmen Ejogo in Selma (2014)
    David Oyelowo and Tom Wilkinson in Selma (2014)
    Lorraine Toussaint and Carmen Ejogo in Selma (2014)
    Lorraine Toussaint in Selma (2014)
    Niecy Nash in Selma (2014)

    Top cast

    Edit
    David Oyelowo
    David Oyelowo
    • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
    Carmen Ejogo
    Carmen Ejogo
    • Coretta Scott King
    Oprah Winfrey
    Oprah Winfrey
    • Annie Lee Cooper
    Tom Wilkinson
    Tom Wilkinson
    • President Lyndon B. Johnson
    Jim France
    Jim France
    • Gunnar Jahn
    Trinity Simone
    • Girl #1
    Mikeria Howard
    • Girl #2
    Jordan Rice
    Jordan Rice
    • Girl #3
    Ebony Billups
    • Girl #4
    Nadej K. Bailey
    Nadej K. Bailey
    • Girl #5
    • (as Nadej Bailey)
    Elijah Oliver
    • Boy #1
    Clay Chappell
    • Registrar
    Giovanni Ribisi
    Giovanni Ribisi
    • Lee White
    Haviland Stillwell
    Haviland Stillwell
    • President's Secretary
    André Holland
    André Holland
    • Andrew Young
    Ruben Santiago-Hudson
    Ruben Santiago-Hudson
    • Bayard Rustin
    Colman Domingo
    Colman Domingo
    • Ralph Abernathy
    Omar J. Dorsey
    Omar J. Dorsey
    • James Orange
    • (as Omar Dorsey)
    • Director
      • Ava DuVernay
    • Writer
      • Paul Webb
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Tim Roth grew up during the Civil Rights Era. He said he remembers George Wallace, thought of him as a "monster," and was "amazed at what was coming out of his mouth."
    • Goofs
      When MLK meets with LBJ in the Oval Office, Johnson is seated at the Resolute Desk. When Lyndon B. Johnson took office in 1963, he found he was too large for the desk, and commissioned a plainer replacement which was built by the Senate cabinet shop.
    • Quotes

      Martin Luther King Jr.: Our lives are not fully lived if we're not willing to die for those we love, for what we believe.

    • Crazy credits
      Martin Sheen is not listed in the credits.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Chris Pine/David Oyelowo/Bobby Flay (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      One Morning Soon
      Written by Traditional

      Performed by Joyce Collins & Johnita Collins

      Courtesy of Tompkins Square, LLC

    User reviews291

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Far more important than entertaining
    Some of the darkest and saddest pieces of our history often make for the most compelling and powerful films of the year. Such is the case with Selma which takes us back to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, showing us the tragic strife that the African American community was put through. Selma focuses specifically on the voting rights movement where Dr. King and his followers led an historical march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama to peacefully protest Alabama's segregated voting rights in order to obtain equality across the voting board. It's a startlingly relevant film that explores a time in US history many would prefer to forget, and one that challenges us to look at our modern day society and draw some disturbing connections.

    Admittedly it is a little bit sad that a film about civil rights can still have so much relevance in 2015, but such is the way of prejudice and bigotry in all of its ever changing forms. Selma does a fantastic job at making this fight as real and accessible as possible, highlighting this struggle on a personal level for King and his associates. These events were well before my time, but as far as I know this film paints a very realistic picture of the time, from the look of the sets, the costumes, and the emotions and tensions filling the air.

    At the end of the day, though, it's the portrayal of Dr. King that drives this film home. David Oyelowo is a powerhouse that carries this film with a startlingly accurate representation of the reverend; one that is filled to the brim with passion and poise, while also breaking down the larger than life illusion that surrounds the man, and bringing him down to earth as the very real and very flawed human being he actually was. His controversial decisions are touched upon in the film, as well as his infidelities which truly bring him to the human level.

    It's a damn good thing that Oyelowo can carry this film, too, as the emotional prowess of the story relies solely on him. Selma is packed with a great supporting cast with everyone from Tom Wilkinson to Tim Roth to rapper Common, but there is no denying that all these supporting players play second fiddle to Oyelowo. If Oyelowo is at a 10 as the lead of the film the rest of the cast sits at an 8 across the board with no one character getting a lot of attention as the focus consistently remains on King. I would have liked to see some more attention turned towards the supporting cast, but with a biopic on one of the most influential names in American history you almost have to expect this.

    Selma highlights a grim portion of our history, one so grim that it needs to be immortalized in film so that we don't forget the troubled history we came from. This is an incredibly important film about an incredibly important man. It's not something you watch for entertainment value and not something you watch over and over again, but it is something you need to watch to gain some highly accurate perception of a crucial time in history it is imperative we never forget.
    helpful•19
    14
    • KnightsofNi11
    • Jan 20, 2015

    FAQ1

    • Why is the movie titled Selma?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 9, 2015 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Official Site
      • Official site (France)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Selma: El poder de un sueño
    • Filming locations
      • Selma, Alabama, USA
    • Production companies
      • Pathé
      • Harpo Films
      • Plan B Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $52,076,908
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $571,450
      • Dec 28, 2014
    • Gross worldwide
      • $66,787,908
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • Datasat
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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