Review: Through a Mirror, Darkly

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio...

Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young 1970

Through A Mirror, Darkly, is a documentary film covering the 1960s student revolt against the Vietnam war and racism. The film, by Naeem Mohaiemen, is currently showing at Glasgow University's Hunterian Art Gallery.

The film is shown simultaneously across three screens, in one room. It weaves contemporary and historic TV news items, interviews with participants from the struggle, with film of recent memorial events. Central to the film is the state shooting of students at Kent State University Ohio and Jackson State Mississippi, in May 1970 and how they are remembered today.

The events of 1970 are well covered, showing the vitriolic hatred of dissent by Nixon and his government and large sections of the media and the whipping up of working-class building workers into attacking anti-war protesters. The film also interestingly highlightes the involvement of returning Vietnam war soldiers, using the GI bill to get a university education. Both at Kent State and Jackson they were part of the fight against the war and racism.

The shooting dead of four university students, and the wounding of many more, by the US national guard at Kent State, are reasonably well know. The shooting by police of two students at the predominantly Black Jackson State are a lot less well known.

Eleven days after the shootings at Kent State, the students demonstrated against racism and the war. The local highway patrol opened fire on the students. The gunfire apparently lasted for only 30 seconds, but in that time more than 460 shots were fired by a reported 40 state highway patrolmen, who used shotguns from a close distance. Every window in the student women’s dorm was shattered by gunfire. Two Black students Phillip Gibbs, 21, and James Green, 17, were killed, and twelve others were wounded.

More than one aging participant in the 1960s struggles felt the current memorial meetings robbed the events of era of their politics and divorced those events from the struggle against war and racism. After the events of Minnesota this winter, the recent killings by ICE agents and police shootings of black Americans, the America that those young students were fighting against in 1970 is still very much in evidence.

Alongside the film the gallery has an exhibition, with books and media covering the Vietnam war and the 1960s student revolt, along with a timeline covering the period.

The one slight jarring part of the film and exhibition was the completely unnecessary warnings from the Hunterian before you enter. Although the shootings are described you see little visually of the aftermath of the state violence. The idea that teenagers shouldn’t see the film is bizarre! If you are in Glasgow over the summer, I’d definitely recommend giving it an hour and half of time.

Showing at the Hunterian Art Gallery Glasgow University till 11 October

Show Times (The film runs for 1 hour and 20 minutes): 10.30am, noon, 1.30pm, and 3pm