My Nephew Emmett is a 2017 short film (20 minutes) directed by Kevin Wilson Jr.
It is a drama about the infamous 1955 murder of Emmett Till
, as seen by his uncle, Mose Wright. Emmett Till is a 14-year-old boy, a cheerful youth who has traveled down south from Chicago to visit his uncle and cousins. One day as Mose Wright is walking home, he is told by an acquaintance that Emmett was seen whistling at Carolyn Bryant, local white woman. Mose instantly realizes the danger his nephew is in. Mose's worst fears are realized that night when two white men, Carolyn Bryant's husband Roy and Roy's brother J.W. Milam, show up at Mose's cabin.
Tropes:
- Artistic License – History: Mostly very faithful to the historical events, but the film shows Emmett being dragged out of his uncle's cabin on the same night as the wolf-whistling incident. In fact it happened a week later after Roy Bryant, who had been out of town, returned.
- Death of a Child: A short film dramatizing the Real Life murder of a teenaged boy.
- Distant Finale: The last scene takes place an indefinite time later, but evidently a while, as a reporter and a cameraman show up to interview Mose Wright about his nephew's death.
- Extremely Short Timespan: Except for the epilogue, the film shows a single afternoon, evening, and night.
- Face Framed in Shadow: Mose Wright's face is half in shadow, lit only by the headlights from the truck out front, as he begs the killers to take him instead.
- Historical Domain Character: Most of them, as the film dramatizes a real-life crime.
- Oh, Crap!: Mose's reaction when an acquaintance tells him about Emmett whistling at a white lady. The fact that it happened, and that word is getting around, makes Mose realize just how much danger his nephew is in.
- Perfumigation: Emmett, who is headed out, asks how much cologne he should use and Mose tells him to use only one squirt. Emmett's cousin then passes, gets a whiff, and wonders if Emmett used the whole bottle.
- Real-Person Epilogue: The last scene shows Mose Wright coming out of his cabin and giving an interview to a reporter. The film then cuts to the actual footage of the real Mose Wright telling the story on film, before the credits start.
- Sidelong Glance Biopic: The murder of Emmitt Till, as seen through the eyes of his uncle.
