“Love is the Sentence” -- In response to the instances of systemic racism, police brutality, and various forms of oppression in our society, each of the DocFilm Fellows created 1-minute long clips, juxtaposing Police-related archives with mediums representing relevant, contemporary social issues.
Each of these clips compromises a mini-series “Love is the Sentence” which is our way of utilizing art to protest as well as raising awareness on these ongoing social & political issues.
WEAPONS OF DA ABSTRACT
“Black Americans are geniuses at immaterial invention because we didn’t control the material”
- Arthur Jafa
There was a popular meme at the beginnings of the George Floyd protests of a Black man fervently shooting an imaginary gun at police cars scurrying by - captioned “oh the crackheads with the shits too.”
Despite the captions humorous overtone, the image’s power lies in its expression of our collective outrage towards the powers of our American oppression. Articulating the handcuffs those oppressed are shackled to - a threat of physical violence warrants a threat to life (no matter how big or small - especially small.)
He wielded a forcefield.
His display of violence, though overt, is purely symbolic. Without any physical threat, those police cars had no choice but to circle around - which seems such the sublime reaction because police officers have killed Black men over much less.
John Coltrane’s saxophone was his weapon.
What can be more violent than expansion. Coltrane is most noted for expanding the language of jazz, treading uncharted saxophone territories to articulate musical spirituality - what he calls the universal language.
Coltrane transcended. Which is no small achievement for any man, yet alone a Black man in 50s and 60s.
And what could dominant culture do but circle around the forcefield of his saxophone.
When our physical dimensions fail us, we look towards the stars. The immaterial sensations all around us, the unspoken, unsaid, our abstract, symbolic declarations of violence are our uncontested weapons of protest and change.
And what can they do but circle around?
For we wield,
Weapons of da abstract.
By Noah Namgoong
POLICE BATON
"It is the purpose of this film to present: APPROVED BATON TECHNIQUES"
"Properly Trained Officer"
With the many instances of Police Brutality occurring, especially through the excessive usage of a baton, can we even trust the police force in general?
By Daniel Bandian
A CHILD’S REALITY
Shaping our future begins with our children.
“Children learn more from what you are, than what you teach.”
-W.E.B Du Bois
“History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children.”
-Nelson Mandela
In this short video, I explore both sides of a child’s perception, challenging what is true and questioning the ways in which we educate our youth.
By Molly Hirsch
IN - OUT
Ruby Bridges is the first black girl to attend a non-segregated school.
She is escorted inside the school by U.S. Marshalls in 1960 to protect her against white supremacists. Photographers and videographers were present to immortalize the girl climbing the stairs accompanied by the officers.
In September 2019, six-year-old Kaia is arrested by Orlando Police Department after a tantrum.
She is escorted out of school, handcuffed. The bodycam footage of the scene was publicly released later on.
How do we go from escorting Ruby in school to escorting Kaia out?
Which kid has never thrown a tantrum?
Some kids get to live careless children's lives while others are experiencing injustices and violence from a young age.
The Orlando arrest is not an isolated case. There are many other black children who got arrested unjustly.
In-Out:
Black children’s right to education is dictated by a systematically racist society. Schools are disciplinary systems where bodies are scrutinized, must be silent, docile. It is the school that called Orlando Police on Kaia.
In:
All children must have the right to be safe in school. Everyone is worthy of education.
By Marion Riou
TRIGGER HAPPY
It is often said that you need to be a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun.
The problem is that police officers who unnecessarily use deadly force are not good guys.
When we advertise heavy gun use in the police force, can we really be surprised when they get used... even when they shouldn't?!
By Erik Kramer
THE TRUTH THAT A BODY CAM SHOWS
The question concerning body-cams should not be if we need them or not.
The true question is what do we do with all the truths unveiling from it?