kviff.com
News
Festival Guide
  • Tickets and Festival Pass
  • Accommodations
  • Transportation
  • Festival cinemas
  • No Barriers project
  • Kids at the festival
  • Festival Shop
Program
  • Catalogue of films
  • Accompanying programme
  • Archive of films
  • Audience award
  • KVIFF Talks
  • Film Entry
Film Industry
  • Industry accreditation
  • Film Industry at KVIFF
  • Industry Days Programme
  • KVIFF Eastern Promises
  • KVIFF Talents
Press
  • Press accreditation
  • Press Service
  • For download
  • Press releases
  • Photogallery
  • Videogallery
About the festival
  • Festival description
  • Programme sections
  • Awards
  • History
  • We support non-profits
  • Photogallery
  • Partners
  • Why We Support the Festival
  • Contacts
CZ
Sign in
Film Archive

What You Gonna Do When the World's on Fire?

Horizons 2019 / What You Gonna Do When the World's on Fire? / Italy, USA, France 2018

The filmmaker gained access to an African-American community in the American South – to both ordinary people and to the otherwise reclusive Black Panthers. The sympathetic protagonists’ stories reflect the burning issues associated with ongoing racism in America, which not only segregates the black community but physically threatens its members on a daily basis.

What You Gonna Do When the World's on Fire? What You Gonna Do When the World's on Fire?

Synopsis

In his exceptionally intimate portrait of several members of a black community in the American South, the filmmaker casts likeable protagonists to show the difficult situation faced by African Americans and how race remains a determining factor for their identity and social status. For brothers Titus and Ronaldo the end of their carefree childhood means they must now face the harsh reality of their neighborhood – their mother warns them that if they're out after dark, they might get shot by the police. Judy runs a bar that serves as a meeting place for the community, but she’s recently had to face the increasing costs of gentrification. Meanwhile, the Black Panthers want justice for the victims of racially motivated murders… The film premiered in competition at Venice.

Vít Kořínek

About the film

123 min / Black & white, DCP

Director Roberto Minervini / Screenplay Roberto Minervini / Dir. of Photography Diego Romero Suarez-Llanos / Music Ingrid Simon / Editor Marie-Hélène Dozo / Producer Paolo Benzi, Denise Ping Lee, Roberto Minervini / Production Okta Film, Pulpa Film / Coproduction Rai Cinema, Shellac Sud / Cast Judy Hill, Dorothy Hill, Michael Nelson / Sales The Match Factory

About the director

Roberto Minervini

Roberto Minervini (b. 1970, Fermo, Italy). Filmography: Voodoo Doll (2005, short), Notes (2005, short), Come to Daddy (2005, short), Las luciérnagas (2006, short), The Passage (2011), Low Tide (2012), Stop the Pounding Heart (2013, doc.), The Other Side (2015, doc.), What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire? (2018, doc.)

Contacts

The Match Factory
Domstrasse 60, 50668, Cologne
Germany
Phone: +49 221 539 7090
E-mail: [email protected]

Other partners
Newsletter

First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.

Follow us on the web:

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
is part of the KVIFF Group family, which covers other projects as well:

© 2025 KVIFF GROUP

Rules for Visitors / Website visitors privacy policy / GTC / Personal Data Protection / Rules for Claim / Rules and Regulations / Contacts