-Avier Wanjou Brass-

Cousins!

Things are not looking good for Spike Lee and Nate Parker. Recently, Lee and Parker were hit with a lawsuit over copyright infringement, by independent filmmakers and brothers Selton and Langston Shaw. The brothers claim that Lee and Parker’s film, American Skin,was stolen from their screenplay, A Routine Stop. 

According to The Grio and The Wrap, the Shaw brothers took it upon themselves and their production company to file the lawsuit against Lee, Parker, and production companies Tiny Giant Entertainment and TM Films Inc., as well as the film’s copyright holder, ASP Film LLC.

Now the suit claims Lee, who presented the film, and Parker, who wrote, starred, and directed the film; copied characters, the storyline, themes, and even down to the logline from their 2017 screenplay. 

“We put our blood, sweat and tears into turning a tragic reality of society into a screenplay that would resonate with audiences, only to see someone else earn acclaim and profit from our work,” the Shaw brothers said. “We filed this lawsuit to get back what was wrongfully taken from us”.

Associated as “A Spike Lee Presentation,” American Skin premiered at the 2019 Venice Film Festival. The film focuses on a story about a Black military veteran, played by Parker, seeking justice for the death of his teenage son. Who lost his life at the hands of police officers during a traffic stop. The complaint states the themes for both American Skin and The Routine Shop are “identical,” and that both bare “uncanny” similarities. 

“In 2017, the Shaw brothers submitted their screenplay to the TV One Screenplay competition, which is a contest organized with and supported by the American Black Film Festival. While the brothers’ screenplay did not win the competition, it was circulated to a group of industry professionals who served as judges. Lo and behold, two years later, American Skin premiered at the Venice Film Festival with plot lines, characters, and themes substantially similar to A Routine Stop.”

We can agree these two films sound very similar to one another. Hopefully, both parties can reach some agreement about this situation. Cousins, what do you think? Did Lee and Parker copy from The Routine Shop, or is it just some coincidence?