Formation

Directed by

Melina Matsoukas

Country

United States

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

Beyoncé performs in a music video set in Louisiana. Scenes show her on a submerged police car, in a plantation house, and in an empty pool. The video incorporates imagery about Black history and pride.

defiantempoweringboldrhythmicvisually strikingsymbolicassertivestylized

What happens

The music video for American singer and songwriter Beyoncé's 2016 single "Formation" was directed by Melina Matsoukas. It was filmed over the span of two days in Los Angeles, California. The video premiered on February 6, 2016, alongside the song's debut exclusively on Tidal. The video was also uploaded to Beyoncé's official YouTube channel unlisted, meaning this prevented the music video from being accessed by search functionalities, with viewers needing to access the video via Beyoncé's official website. The video begins with Beyoncé crouching on top of a New Orleans police interceptor, which is partially submerged in floodwaters. As the video progresses, the car gradually sinks into the water. Another set of scenes portray Beyoncé as the mistress of an all-black household in a Southern plantation-style house, reclaiming the legacy of slavery in the South. Beyoncé and her dancers perform in an empty swimming pool in another scene. Beyoncé is later depicted standing in front of a plantation house with a black wide-brimmed hat covering her eyes. In another scene, a man can be seen holding a newspaper titled The Truth with an image of Martin Luther King Jr. on the front page. The last sequence depicts a young boy in a hoodie dancing in front of a line of police officers in riot gear. When the boy holds up his hands, the officers reciprocate the gesture. The video cuts to a wall graffitied with the phrase: "Stop shooting us", echoing the demand of the Black Lives Matter movement for reform in policing and criminal justice. The music video caused controversy from conservative figures, law enforcement organizations and social media users over perceived anti-police, anti-American and racist messages, including the National Sheriffs' Association and the Internet Research Agency. It won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video and MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, among various other accolades. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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