Mendham Filmmaker Premieres Documentary On Streaming Site  

MENDHAM, NJ — A documentary film about racism in America, which premiered last year at the Backer Farm in Mendham, has been made available for free viewing on a streaming site.

Independent filmmaker Kyle Schickner, spent eight years creating a fun and comedic documentary that takes a look at race relations around the country.

Schickner, who's from Mendham, hit the road, traveling around America with the hope of examining racism's hold on our country, only to discover the grip racism has on him.

In an era where social warriors use race and cancel culture as weapons, Schickner found himself wanting to further a conversation about how racial disparities affect entire communities.

That is why Schickner made the independent film 'A White Man Walks Into a Barbershop,' in which he discussed race with members of the Black community.

Schickner worked on the film for several years, having been inspired by the election of Barack Obama in 2008, when he felt that people had stopped being open about race.

The documentary, which premiered at international film festivals last year, begins in Schickner's hometown of Highland Park and follows him on a road trip across America to investigate racism's grip on the country.

Schickner visits barbershops, churches and homes from Alabama to Minneapolis, from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles, using honesty and humor to lift the veil off white liberal ideology and connect with people from other communities.

The movie, which has a runtime of approximately 90 minutes, can now be found on the streaming site Tubi.

'A White Man Walks Into a Barbershop' premiered in Mendham in October 2021, as a fundraiser for the Mendham Diversity Committee. According to Schickner, the premiere attracted more than 100 guests from the community.

The Mendhams Diversity Committee's mission is to work collaboratively to advocate for and support diversity and racial equality in the community, to provide opportunities for residents to grow in their own understanding of diversity, and to embrace diversity's values.

The committee has ongoing projects such as "The Book Project" and "Talking Diversity" that are open to the community and a great way to get involved.