John Ridley's 2017 documentary about LAPD getting renewed attention

John Ridley won an Academy Award for his adapted screenplay of “12 Years A Slave.” That was almost ten years ago.

More recently, Ridley produced and directed a documentary about Los Angeles and the decade leading up to and including the Rodney King riots. 

RELATED: HBO Max pulls 'Gone With the Wind' from library amid racial tensions

That 2017 documentary, "Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982 -1992," is now getting renewed attention, which Ridley has mixed feelings about.

John Ridley

“It’s not like doing a film where it becomes a cult classic and people discover it and feel good about it. It’s kind of painful that three years removed from a project that was about things that happened 25 years ago, that we are back in a very similar place,” says Ridley.

"Let It Fall" includes interviews with some of the key players and sheds light on what some would consider the dark practices of the Los Angeles Police Department. Ridley spent ten years producing and directing it.

His message for those who choose to watch it now as the world grapples yet again with race and prejudice: “Just listen. Listen to people who have been through this -  their shared experiences- because it is so very powerful and impactful because they went through it.

Beyond “Let It Fall,” the show creator is also getting attention for this recent Los Angeles Times op-ed that prompted HBO to temporarily pull “Gone With the Wind” from its platform.  “Gone With The Wind” is propaganda,” says Ridley.

As for Hollywood’s role moving forward, Ridley says he wants to see more diversity in every department.

“We’re living in an era of 300 scripted shows on the air and we’re talking less than 5% of the voices in rooms represent voices of the outside prevailing culture,” says Ridley.

From the Rodney King riots to the death of George Floyd and the chaos and calm that have followed, Ridley says this time feels different.  

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“When you see police and citizens kneeling together… it does give me a bit of hope,” says Ridley.

“Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982 -1992” is available on Netflix.