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Filmmaker Bruce Harper talks about 'Summer '67'

Detroit School of Arts very own teen radio talk show "Can You Relate," produced and hosted by Kandi Alexander, who had the privilege of interviewing Bruce Harper, director of "Summer ‘67."

This documentary is based on “the 43 lives that were lost during the 1967 rebellion," a tribute to the 50th anniversary.

The documentary was originally supposed to revolved around the rebellion itself but Harper being a “Detroit supporter” did not want to encourage or create a "Detroit-bashing story.” So while looking for a different approach, he learned from a friend of his, Joe Spencer, that 43 lives were lost during the rebellion.

What really caught his attention on the subject were all of the different stories of the lives lost including “the 4 year old girl in her parents apartment,” and “the gentleman who was on his way to work, and “a couple that was coming back from dropping their friend off.” 

The stories that involved the individuals that had nothing to do with the riot that were caught in the crossfire; their stories needed to be told, he said.

The unique focus of acknowledging the lives of innocent people during the 1967 rebellion in Detroit, presented a perspective not commonly known. While some would say the film industry continues to saturate the air ways with negative stereotypes, Harper insists on supporting the stories rarely told, giving the audience an appreciation for true accounts.

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