4 Little Girls (1997)

4 Little Girls is a searing 1997 American documentary directed by Spike Lee, a poignant exploration of the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, which killed four young African-American girls—Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Denise McNair—during Sunday school. This 102-minute film, produced by 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks and HBO, captures a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, earning a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and an 8.0/10 IMDb rating for its unflinching storytelling and emotional resonance. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, it’s a landmark work in Lee’s oeuvre, lauded for humanizing a tragedy that galvanized the fight for racial justice. The film’s power lies in its intimate, heart-wrenching moments: Lee weaves archival footage, photos, and interviews with survivors, family members, and activists like Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, painting a vivid picture of Birmingham’s brutal segregationist era. A standout sequence features Maxine McNair, Denise’s mother, recounting her daughter’s dreams, her voice breaking as she holds a photo, while another chilling moment unveils former Governor George Wallace’s late-life remorse, a rare glimpse into his complex legacy. Lee’s use of Mahalia Jackson’s gospel and John Coltrane’s 'Alabama' underscores the grief, with cinematographer Ellen Kuras capturing Birmingham’s still-scarred streets. The film doesn’t shy away from the FBI’s mishandling of the case—only one Klansman was convicted in 1977, with others prosecuted decades later—sparking reactions calling it a 'gut-punch' exposé of systemic racism. Premiering at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and airing on HBO on February 12, 1998, this U.S.-produced documentary resonated amid renewed Civil Rights discussions, its release coinciding with Birmingham’s efforts to reconcile its past. Critics praised its 'quiet dignity,' though some noted its focus on aftermath over legal minutiae. It’s a must-watch for history buffs or those seeking a raw, human lens on a tragedy that, as Lee shows, bled like wine and changed a nation forever.