Selma

2014
PG-13
2h 8m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

96K

YOUR RATING

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

71 Videos

99 Photos

Biography Drama History

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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

96K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 58 wins & 91 nominations total

Videos71

Trailer 2:31

Selma

Clip 1:12

We Are Martin Luther King Jr. | Supercut

Clip 8:09

Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon Share Their Films of Hope for Difficult Times

Clip 1:35

A Guide to the Films of Ava DuVernay

Clip 0:34

Next Great Battle

Photos146

140

More like this

7.2

The Butler

7.4

Judas and the Black Messiah

7.3

7.6

8.2

7.3

7.2

7.7

7.2

7.5

7.1

One Night in Miami...

7.7

Ray

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
The explosion in the opening scene is the infamous 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, which occurred in Birmingham, Alabama on September 15, 1963. The 4 young girls killed in the bombing were Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley.

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.: [somberly yet passionately speaking to church congregation at a funeral] Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson? Every white lawman who abuses the law to terrorize. Every white politician who feeds on prejudice and hatred. Every white preacher who preaches the Bible and stays silent before his white congregation. Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson? Every Negro man and woman who stands by without joining this fight as their brothers and sisters are brutalized, humiliated, and ripped from this Earth.

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 reviews368

Review

Featured review

7/10

Hard to believe humans could behave this way

The context is Martin Luther King's mission to get votes for blacks. The film focusses on a peaceful demonstration in Selma, Alabama.

This story is part of a huge moment in American history. A really powerful subject which is thoughtfully dealt with. The lead, David Oyelowo, does a nice job.

There is one moment in the film which is hugely emotional and shows the best of human kindness but otherwise the movie doesn't quite pack the huge emotional punch the topic deserves.

Still very much worth a watch though, the subject matter is fascinating. You will struggle to believe that humans could behave this way, and so recently too.