‘Rated X by an all white jury.’ Along with COTTON COMES TO HARLEM, this is credited as the film that kicked off the blaxploitation cycle. Sweetback is a renowned L.A. hustler on the run after nearly killing two cops in revenge for their beating of a black revolutionary. Driven by an Earth, Wind & Fire soundtrack, the film was so controversial that only two cinemas in the U.S. would dare show it.’…about rising out of the mud and kicking ass.’ Melvin Van Peebles