'See You Yesterday' Is a Sci-Fi Black Lives Matter Anthem for the Next Generation

While the blockbuster Marvel franchise "Avengers: Endgame" breaks box office records with its epic, grand-scale story about the power and risk of using time travel, a smaller — but no less epic — independent film has two black Bronx Science students way ahead of the whole inventing time travel curve. It's especially poignant that the "See You Yesterday's" two young protagonists, CJ and Sebastian, attend Bronx Science, given reports last month of the abysmal admission numbers for black students at NYC's specialized schools. Director Stefon Bristol told WNYC's cultural critic Rebecca Carroll that it was especially important to have the students attend Bronx Science, which gave only 12 of its 800 slots to black students for 2019.

"I want Bronx Science and Stuyvesant High School and Brooklyn Tech to...really shift the focus on who we're bringing in now, because the film shows these brilliant kids and their desire to be really, really great." Bristol says these specialized schools are missing the opportunity to foster the potential of so many kids just like CJ and Sebastian.

"I grew up in the hood, I grew up in Coney Island," he says. "And there are so many brilliant people there, and there's so many people in East Flatbush, so many brilliant people in East New York, in Crown Heights, and it's often overlooked in science." 

"See You Yesterday" is not just about two really smart kids who invent time travel. It's also about black lives, police violence, the power of friendship, and the need for chosen family. "I love you, black man," CJ tells Sebastian. "I love you, black woman," Sebastian replies. The strength and depth of their friendship as portrayed by talented newcomers Eden Duncan-Smith and Danté Crichlow, is worth the price of admission alone.   

As for being referred to as a Spike Lee protege? "I love it." Bristol says. "Spike is my hero."  

"See You Yesterday" starts airing on Netflix May 17.