Opening Night: Call-To-Action Film Festival

By Brigette Ginter

On Friday night the SBIFF launched its Call-To-Action Film Festival. This inaugural event has a lineup of seven thought-provoking films purposely aimed at bringing the community together and start a dialogue about pressing societal issues.

After a pass-holder reception at the Belmond El Encanto, the opening night film, Crime+Punishment was screened. This documentary film (directed by Stephen Maing) won a U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival.

Crime+Punishment was a great start to the festival and in keeping with Call-To-Action’s key aim to spark community dialogue. The film explores the issue of illegal policing quotas, something that the New York City Police Department banned in 2010. Crime+Punishment follows a select group of 12 minority NYPD cops that aim to expose the truth- that illegal policing quotas still exist.

Throughout the film we see how these cops are retaliated against; Firstly for not having high enough quotas, and secondly, for being outspoken against the practice. We also see the hypocrisy of the NYPD and their insistent denial that the practice still exists.

The film also shows the devastating societal impact of illegal police quotas from the standpoint of the young minority adults that are often unjustly arrested or detained, merely to get their case dismissed hours or days later. We also go behind the scenes with a private investigator named Manny Gomez, who becomes a champion and savior of the victims of false arrests.

SBIFF executive director Roger Durling hopes that this festival will be a time for reflection and discussion for those of us that “want change” and care about social justice issues.

The Call-To-Action Film Festival will be held at the Riviera Theater from September 28-October 4th. There will be moderated panel discussions after many of the films with the films’ directors and specialist on the films’ issues. Please see the Riviera’s schedule for more information and tickets.

Crime+Punishment touched on a topic I didn’t know anything about. Leaving the film I was struck by how policies such as quotas trickle down to all levels of society, ultimately negatively impacting society’s most vulnerable groups.

I give it 4/5 stars.

Crime+Punishment replays on Monday 10/1 at 5pm at the Riviera Theater.