How a white kid escaped punishment after killing a black man vice. Were strong island a strict procedural, that exclusion would be more glaring. Strong island director yance ford talks about his powerful new. The 5 nominees for best documentary feature, explained casey affleck, previously sued for sexual harassment, drops out of presenting at the oscars view all 54 stories. But the film s real anchors are the interviews and, in fords case, first. The police had turned my brother into the prime suspect in his own murder. On paper, the suffolk county police department filed the case as a homicide. Yet this potent film gives equal weight to complex emotions as well as bare facts. Its maybe the best film of this subgenre ive seen since the absolutely heartbreaking dear zachary. Theres something different about strong island, however, a film characterised by raw emotion and calm anger, which must.
We can help develop and create your idea from inception to delivery. Sep 11, 2017 in the opening moments of strong island, director yance ford directly addresses the camera in raw, provocative closeup. Strong island expertly fills in the gaps of ava duvernays. What ford is trying to do with strong island is make his familys history visible once again, to give it the clarity and focus that were taken away. The openended conclusion to strong island represents an ongoing struggle. Filmmaker yance ford takes an emotional and unflinching look at his familys devastation and lingering pain after the. His film strong island is up for best documentary feature and the director told ew that he was wellaware of his place in. Yance ford is seen at the institute of contemporary arts in london, where he took part in a. With selfdefense seeming an almost logical conclusion, ford uses. A familys navigation between loss and injustice netflix documentary tells the story of the murder of william ford jr.
Jan 29, 2018 strong island chronicles the arc of a family across history, geography and tragedy from the racial segregation of the jim crow south to the promise of new york city. Since its inception, the production assistance program has helped in the completion of hundreds of projects, including oscarwinning documentary citizenfour directed by laura poitras, oscar nominee strong island by yance ford, and sandi tans shirkers, which won the world cinema documentary competition award for best directing at sundance in. With yance ford, harvey walker, kevin myers, lauren ford. Strong island is about a murder that happened in 1992. Ford powerfully renders the specter of his brothers death and its devastating effect on his family. Yance ford, the director of the documentary strong island and a trans man, became the first transgender filmmaker nominated for an oscar. You will find a mix of thoughtful art house cinema, vintage. A deeply intimate and meditative film, strong island asks what one can do when the grief of loss is entwined with historical injustice, and how one grapples with the complicity of silence, which can bind a family in an imitation of life, and a nation with a false sense of justice. Its not actually about the uncovering of evidence or following leads that hadnt been seen before or any of that stuff. One of the rare films to embrace the full literary possibilities of the cinematic.
The camera is close to fords intense face, very close, almost blotting out the pitchblack background. His film, a netflix release about fords investigation. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free. The award was a testament to yance fords decision to. Yance fords new documentary strong island walked away from last months sundance film festival with a very appropriate recognition. The painful, intimate story of grief to follow focuses on the life and sudden death of yances older brother williammurdered in cold blood in 1992 at the age of 24. Oct 28, 2014 strong island examines the violent death of the filmmakers brother 25 years ago, and the judicial system that allowed his killer to go free. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost. What ford is trying to do with strong island is make his familys history visible once. With this cinematic memoir, ford became the first openly transgender director to win an emmy and earn an oscar nomination.
Strong island will make you furious, which you should be. In strong island, yance ford, the director, speaks directly to the camera about his brothers murder 20 years ago, and about the resultant shattering of his family. Strong island, by director yance ford, and hosted by netflix, attempts to. The film centers on the april 1992 murder of fords brother william, a 24yearold africanamerican teacher in new york, who was killed by mark p. Strong island is enough of a truecrime project that you can expect a few late surprises, all of them devastating. The shooting death of william ford, a 24yearold schoolteacher from central islip, is the focus of strong island, an emotionally charged documentary made by one of fords younger siblings. Sep 14, 2017 were strong island a strict procedural, that exclusion would be more glaring. The film calls us to bear witness to the reality rather than the abstraction of injustice, going beyond interviews into the homes of those left behind, into profound crises of civic faith. Feb 06, 2017 yance fords new documentary strong island walked away from last months sundance film festival with a very appropriate recognition. Ford explores this experience in his new netflix documentary strong island. Sep 15, 2017 in january, strong island won the sundance film festival special jury award for storytelling, with netflix acquiring the film soon after. Strong island chronicles the arc of a family across history, geography and tragedy from the racial segregation of the jim crow south to the promise of new york city.
The film centers on the april 1992 murder of fords brother william. Strong island won the special jury award for storytelling at the 2017 sundance film festival. Yance ford is the first trans director to receive an oscar nomination. Jan 24, 2018 yance ford, the director of the documentary strong island and a trans man, became the first transgender filmmaker nominated for an oscar. Sep 14, 2017 a deeply intimate and meditative film, strong island asks what one can do when the grief of loss is entwined with historical injustice, and how one grapples with the complicity of silence, which. In january, strong island won the sundance film festival special jury award for storytelling, with netflix acquiring the film soon after. Strong island expertly fills in the gaps of ava duvernay. The moments of greatness are watered down by predictable character arcs and repetitive plot points to the point where the movie becomes just mediocre. Strong island is not your typical true crime film 89.
Documentary strong island tells a painful yet painfully. Aug 23, 2017 trailer for the documentary strong island, which will now premiere to the premium network netflix in april 1992, on long island ny, william jr. Strong island is an american 2017 truecrime documentary film directed by yance ford. Sep 18, 2017 strong island provides a very intimate window into the lives of people affected by the systemic oppression duvernay explores in th. It may be the case that a little bit of distance might have helped the film, might have moved the focus just a little further back to get a more complete picture. Sep, 2017 strong island won the special jury award for storytelling at the 2017 sundance film festival. Us custom essay service at your door step the global essay writing service delivering proquality help and secure experience to customers worldwide. The forces of family, grief and racial injustice converge in this oscarnominated documentary exploring the murder of filmmaker yance fords brother. Be it past, present or future well do our best to keep you up to date with photos, videos, interviews and features about the city and its people. Jan 23, 2017 ten years in the making, yance fords intimate reflection on his brothers senseless death, strong island, is a sorrowful account of a family isolated in grief and suppressed anger. From launching new ground breaking series to consulting on international packaging, strong island films provides expertise in development, preproduction, production and post. Ten years in the making, yance fords intimate reflection on his brothers senseless death, strong island, is a sorrowful account of a family isolated in grief and suppressed anger. I am excited to continue to learn more and find new ways to be creative with aerial photography and film. A haunting investigation into the murder of a young black man in 1992, yance fords strong island is achingly personalthe victim, 24yearold william ford jr.
Strong islands fundamental weakness is the generic nature of its crime and subsequent lack of punishment. The films completion and release now on netflix has dovetailed with his. Set in central islip, new york, strong island tells the story of william ford, jr. A deeply intimate and meditative film, strong island asks what one can do when the grief of loss is entwined with historical injustice, and how one grapples with the complicity of silence, which.
Strong island explores a killing and its aftermath. Strong island is so supreme in its presentation that it immediately grabs your attention and never lets go. Strong island 2017 m 1h 47m documentaries the forces of family, grief and racial injustice converge in this oscarnominated documentary exploring the murder of filmmaker yance fords brother. Sep 15, 2017 formal in its style, strong island has an urgency underlying every scene. When filmmaker yance ford investigates the 1992 murder of a young black man, it becomes an achingly personal journey since the victim, 24yearold william ford jr. Jan 26, 2018 yance ford is the first trans director to receive an oscar nomination. We own our own equipment and can provide filming including drone services. The true story is an inspiring one, and jake gyllenhaals performance is powerful, but this film drags.
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