“No Justice!” “No Peace!” This rising chant from the streets escalated in answer to the seemingly endless incidents of police brutality throughout this great nation. Following the shooting of Amadou Diallo by 4 members of the NY City Police Department these chants rose from the streets by heartbroken and enraged voices. However, there are two sides to every story and the truth is often found where you least expect it. “If I Die Tonight” reflects on the lives and stories of those who survive on both sides of an impenetrable divide.
There is no way you can watch the documentary If I Die Tonight and come away not feeling something. More likely than not, the feelings you’ll have will be conflicted, which is a testimony to the complexity of the issues presented in the film, and the lengths filmmaker Seyi works to address the topic of police brutality. In a lesser film, by a lesser director, the already volatile subject of police brutality could easily be presented as a one-sided screed that serves the agenda of the filmmaker. But Seyi’s agenda is to get people thinking about the subject matter in ways they may have never considered before. If I Die Tonight is a good documentary in that it gives the audience several things to think about, and invites both reconsideration of previously held ideas and discourse about the wider implication of police brutality, racism and the miscarriage of justice.
• David Walker, DVDTalk.com
A thought-provoking documentary highlighting the human suffering which radiates like ripples on a pond in the wake of criminal behavior not only by racist police with itchy trigger fingers but by cop killers to boot. Seyi, cleverly juxtaposes the plight of these two different groups of victims, primarily by showing how the loss of loved ones forever affects their wives, children, parents and friends.
• Kam Williams, Philadelphia News Observer
…this is a must see film. If I Die Tonight is a film that challenges you to think a lot and come up with your own feelings. A thought-provoking and intelligent film that see as shocking as it is important.• Patrick Ricketts, Video Views
