The film was made shortly after Mandela 's 1990 release from prison and during the negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa . Lee explained that he made " the connection between Soweto and Harlem , Nelson and Malcolm , and what Malcolm talked about : pan-Africanism , trying to build these bridges between people of color . He is alive in children in classrooms in Harlem , in classrooms in Soweto . " Mandela ends the film with a quote from Malcolm X himself , with Malcolm in a film clip saying the last four words . The quote goes : " We declare our right on this earth , to be a human being , to be respected as a human being , to be given the rights of a human being , in this society , on this earth , in this day , which we intend to bring into existence '' by any means necessary '' . " '' Malcolm X '' was released in North America on November 18 , 1992 . The film was critically acclaimed , and has since garnered a score of 88 % on movie review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 57 reviews , with an average rating of 7.5 / 10 . The critics ' consensus states , " Anchored by a powerful performance from Denzel Washington , Spike Lee 's biopic of the legendary civil rights leader brings his autobiography to life with an epic sweep and a nuanced message . " Denzel Washington 's portrayal of Malcolm X was widely praised and he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor . Washington lost to Al Pacino ( '' Scent of a Woman '' ) , a decision which Lee criticized , saying " I 'm not the only one who thinks Denzel was robbed on that one . " Washington won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival . The movie received a number of awards at other festivals
43rd Berlin International Film Festival
43rd Berlin International Film Festival
Malcolm X (1992 film)