Director
Andrew Heckler

Starring
Garrett Hedlund, Forest Whitaker and Andrea Riseborough

Based on true events, Burden takes place in South Carolina in 1996, as the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan go about opening a KKK museum and ‘Redneck Shop’. The story focuses on Mike Burden (Garrett Hedlund), a local man who was taken in by a Klan leader and his wife as a child, and indoctrinated into their hateful views. When he meets single Mom Judy (Andrea Riseborough), she challenges his racist views, driving a wedge between Mike and the life that he knows. As Mike tries to break away from the Klan, he is assisted by a local black minister, Reverend Kennedy (Forest Whitaker), who faces backlash from his own family and community for being seen to help a Klan member.

Despite premiering at the 2018 Sundance film festival, Burden is only now making its way to Australian screens. At a time where racial divides are so highlighted, it seems a perfect moment to shine a light on a man able to reform his own prejudices. First time director Andrew Heckler appears mindful not to allow the film to fall into the usual tropes that can befall any story about racial challenges, particularly when the focus of those films are almost always a white protagonist. While it’s important to show that there is a path to redemption, the film doesn’t hide the fact that Mike was responsible for reprehensible and senseless acts of violence against the black community. There’s certainly no ‘white saviour’ overtones when it comes to the story, and the celebration of Reverend Kennedy as a hero is refreshing and long overdue.

The beauty of the film lies in its subtlety. This isn’t a ‘hit you over the head with a morality stick’ kind of film. There aren’t any big speeches of specifically heroic moments, it’s simply the story of one man who realises that love is more important than hate. It serves as a timely reminder that even those from the most extreme ends of the political divide can change if they want to, which I think is a message that we need more of at the moment.

Burden is available to rent via the Foxtel Store until July 4.

3.5 Stars

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