Cynthia Hill from Private Violence - Madison-Morgan Cultural Center & City of Hapeville

From Cynthia Hill of Private Violence:

As a North Carolinian, I always feel pretty welcome in Georgia. In fact, my Southern Circuit tour screenings there this month allowed me to combine two of my greatest passions: film and food. As the director of “A Chef’s Life” on PBS, I had to make two extra stops for Georgia eats based on recommendations from Chef Vivian Howard (see photos on twitter @docusouth). But this trip was about showing Private Violence and engaging communities in conversation about a very complex societal problem - domestic violence. I was renewed and energized by the screenings in Madison and Hapeville, and both locales were warm and welcoming. For me, the unique part of these particular screening events was the bonus of seeing the domestic violence advocacy community come out and have a chance to share what they do with their community members. I think many people could go their whole life without even knowing that domestic violence advocates are out there fighting every day. I got to know this reality very well while making the film.

What also gets me every time I screen Private Violence is how engaged people are, especially once that light bulb goes off - that moment when they realize that the “Why didn’t she just leave?” mentality is not where to start unpacking this issue. And, when that happens, and people feel safe to ask questions, they want to know what they can do, how they can help, where we can go from here. They want to know how to volunteer in their local community. It’s not just batterers who need to change – it is our culture, our justice system. They want to hear perspective on why abusers aren’t held accountable (answer: because they CAN and DO get away with this). But I believe this can change. And I want others to believe that, and work towards it, as well. As one attendee said, “It was truly amazing to see Deanna transform in this film. It was hard to watch, but it is something we all need to watch. She became a victor.” Thank you, South Arts, for making these conversations possible and thanks to everyone who came out in Georgia.

Cynthia Hill, director, Private Violence

February's Films and Filmmakers

It's February and that means Southern Circuit is gearing up for the second half of it's season! This month we welcome Brothers Hypnotic, Private Violence, The New Black, and Remote Area Medical. Read on to find out more about these films and check out the entire lineup for the 2014-2015 Southern Circuit Film Schedule.

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Reuben Atlas is an award-winning filmmaker and non-practicing lawyer. He premiered Brothers Hypnotic at the SXSW Film Festival in 2013 and is currently making a Sundance Institute and IDA-supported film about the controversial community group, ACORN, as well as a film about the esoteric world of fine wine. Previously, he worked at a maximum-security prison, a music law firm, and Legal Aid.

For the eight young men in the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, brotherhood is literal: they’re all sons of anti-establishment jazz legend Phil Cohran. Cohran and their mothers raised them together on Chicago’s South Side on a strict diet of jazz, funk and Black Consciousness. Family band practice began at 6 AM. Now grown, Brothers Hypnotic shows as the brothers try to make it - while playing in the streets of New York, collaborating with Mos Def, or wowing at a jazz festival - they find the values their father bred into them tested.

Schedule:

Feb 08: Winder Cultural Arts Center, Winder, GA
Feb 10: Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA
Feb 11: Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Feb 12: Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, AL

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Kit Gruelle is a survivor of domestic violence and has worked as a battered women’s advocate and community educator for over 25 years. She is dedicated to challenging the stereotypes and prevailing belief systems about violence against women and children, and the prevalence of out-of-date responses that do little to change the fundamental dynamics of domestic violence.

Cynthia Hill is a producer and director whose credits include Tobacco Money Feeds My Family, The Guestworker, February One, and A Chef’s Life. Hill’s work has appeared on PBS and the Sundance Channel. She is the co-founder of the Southern Documentary Fund. Hill is from Pink Hill, NC and resides in Durham.

Private Violence is a feature-length documentary film and audience engagement campaign exploring a simple, but deeply disturbing, fact of American life: the most dangerous place for a woman in America is her own home. Every day in the United States, at least four women are murdered by abusive (and often ex-) partners. The knee-jerk response is to ask, “Why doesn’t she just leave?” Private Violence shatters the brutality of this logic. Through the eyes of two survivors, filmgoers witness the complicated and complex realities of intimate partner violence.

Schedule:

Feb 12: Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Madison, GA
Feb 13: City of Hapeville, Hapeville, GA
Feb 14: The Tennessee Valley Art Association/Ritz Theatre, Sheffield, AL
Feb 17: Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
Feb 19: Robinson Film Center, Shreveport, LA
Feb 20: Union College, Barbourville, KY

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Yoruba Richen is a documentary filmmaker who has directed and
produced films in the United States and abroad including Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Richen has been an associate producer for the investigative unit of ABC News, as well as a producer for Democracy Now. Richen won the Creative Promise Award at Tribeca All Access and was a Sundance Institute’s Producers’ Fellow. She is a 2014 featured TED Speaker and a Guggenheim Fellow. Richen is Director of the Documentary Program at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

The New Black tells the story of an African-American community grappling with gay rights in light of the recent gay marriage movement and fights over civil rights. The film documents activists, families and clergy on both sides of the campaigning to legalize gay marriage and examines homophobia in the black community’s institutional pillar—the black church. It tells the story of the historic fight to win marriage equality in Maryland and charts the evolution of this divisive issue within the black community.

Schedule:

Feb 18: Oxford College of Emory University, Oxford, GA
Feb 19: Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC
Feb 21: Creative City Collaborative, Pompano Beach, FL
Feb 23: East Tennessee State University, Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, Johnson City, TN
Feb 25: Indie Memphis, Memphis, TN
Feb 26: Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts, Auburn University, Auburn, AL

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Farihah Zaman is a Brooklyn-based journalist, producer, and programmer. Her diverse background in the film industry includes programming and serving on the Advisory Board of the Film South Asia documentary film festival, working as the Acquisitions Manager at Magnolia Pictures, and working as the Program Manager of The Flaherty, organizing their historic, contentious annual film seminar and launching a monthly screening series at Anthology Film Archives. She is currently a staff writer at the film journal Reverse Shot, blogs for the Huffington Post, and has produced such projects as the trailer for the 2010 New York Film Festival. Her first feature film is Remote Area Medical and this was followed by the short Kombit (2014 Sundance Film Festival) and second feature This Time Next Year (2014 Tribeca Film Festival).

Jeff Reichert’s first feature film, Gerrymandering, premiered at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival where it was named one of the best of the festival by New York Magazine. His second feature film, Remote Area Medical, had its world premiere at the 2013 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and has won numerous awards and screened at festivals across the U.S. It is slated for theatrical release in Fall of 2014. His short, Kombit premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, and he recently premiered his third feature, This Time Next Year at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. He is the co-editor of the popular online journal Reverse Shot.

During the U.S. debate about healthcare reform, the media—reporters and news crews and filmmakers—failed to put a human face on what it means to not have access to healthcare. Remote Area Medical fills that gap—it is a film about people, not policy. Focusing on a single three-day clinic held in the Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee, Remote Area Medical affords us an insider’s perspective on the ebb and flow of the event—from the tense 3:30 a.m. ticket distribution that determines who gets seen to the routine check-ups that take dramatic turns for the worse, to the risky means to which some patients resort for pain relief. We meet a doctor who also drives an 18-wheeler, a denture maker who moonlights as a jeweler, and the organization’s founder, Stan Brock, who first imagined Remote Area Medical while living as a cowboy in the Amazon rainforest, hundreds of miles from the nearest doctor. But it is the extraordinary stories of the patients, desperate for medical attention, that create a lasting impression about the state of modern health care in America.

Schedule:

Feb 11: Clemson University, Clemson, SC

Hollywood Here I Am

10/18 - Hollywood, Florida that is - a quick drive from the Fort Lauderdale Airport. It's the last night of the tour. I'll be glad to get home, but I will also miss the "rock-star" pace of it all. I had dinner on my own at a Thai restaurant and then walked to the screening at the Art & Culture Center of Hollywood. A small, but receptive and inquisitive audience was on hand and we had a really good Q&A session (a lot of migrant workers pass through Florida). The center also has a gallery and I took some time to check it out.

On my way back to the hotel after the screening, I walked past the plaza where some musicians were playing. It was a nice way to end the night. I crawled into bed early so that I would be ready for the flight home in the morning. It's been an incredible experience screening to so many audiences in a compressed amount of time. It was nice to reconnect with some old friends, and of course, to make some new ones. Thanks to everyone who made this tour possible and all the folks that made me feel welcome.

I love Louisville!

10/17 - All I can say is that Louisville is a very funky, progressive and hip town. I love it! It seems to have a little hot bed of production companies, independent filmmakers and all kinds of creative folks. Hart-Lunsford Pictures sponsored my screening at The Kentucky Center. It went really well and it drew an eclectic crowd - the Department of Labor and the Catholic Church were some of the folks in attendence. Gil Holland conducted the Q&A session and it lasted as long as the screening did!

Tom, Dan, Gil & I hit Proof on Main for dinner. they served excellent 'Tuscan influenced' American food. The restaurant was inside a really impressive museum hotel called 21c. I loved the concept. Gil took me on a tour of the city and in particular, the Gallery NuLu which was exhibiting the works of Vadis Turner - a pretty provocative artist. I also met Gil's family, which was really nice.

I'm in the Orlando Airport right now, catching a flight into Fort Lauderdale where I will then drive to Hollywood for my final screening of this tour. The flight in was a little uncomfortable since the cabin was filled with a group of children on their way to Disney World. Well, no surprise, but I'm pressed for time, so I'm off to catch my next flight.

Natchez, Jackson and Louisville

10/14 - The drive into Natchez was beautiful. I passed quite a few plantations along the way and they were gorgeous to see. However, I ran into a traffic jam. The Angola Prison Rodeo was going on and there were hundreds trying to get there. I wanted to go, but they were sold out. That really would have been something to write home about!! Regardless, my stay in Natchez was wonderful. My B&B sat along the river and it was really relaxing. I had a great catfish dinner, probably caught that morning!

10/15 - I was on the road again to Jackson. I passed a few cotton farms and plantations on my way into Millsaps College. The screeming went well and I was amused to find out that it was mandatory for the Intro to Sociology class to attend the screening. Needless to say, they were a very attentive audience.

I stayed at the Cabot Inn and although the folks there were very nice, my view was of the HVAC unit. Unfortunatley I did not have any time to tour around before I had to get on my way to Louisville.

10/16 - Driving into Louisville I noticed how much renovation was going on. Beautiful buildings and amazing architecture; new shops and restaurants. It reminded me of Durham....only Louisville has the incredible Ohio River! I had a view of it from my hotel and I'm planning a walk along it this morning.

I'm excited about tonight's screening - I'm being introduced by Gil Holland, the Executive Producer of Loggerheads!! Until tomorrow....

Later gator

10/13 - Well I made it to Lake Charles! I flew to Baton Rouge via Atlanta and then drove Hwy 10 into Lake Charles. Not a whole lot to see en route except swamp land and I was happy to pull into the Super 8 where the folks were waiting for me. Apparently Irene with the Arts Council was a little worried about me and had called a few times to see if I had made it in! Very sweet - thanks! We grabbed dinner at a down-to-earth seafood place that was all about the food and not so much about the ambiance...which is just fine with me. I got a kick out of the 12-foot long stuffed alligator that lounged beside us.

The screening went well. We had some competition since the Titantic Exhibit had opened and there was a Keltic celebration going on too. Turnout was a little small, but the audience was very attentive. There were some folks with farming backgrounds who had had many interactions with migrant workers, so it was great hearing their viewpoints and perspectives. And really, it's been nice to hear from the various "southern" audiences.

My next destination is Jackson and I don't have to be there 'til Monday. So I get a day to take a breath, get off the road, relax and actually get to do a little touring myself. I'll be staying in a little bed-and-breakfast in Natchez for the night.

Beautiful

10/12 -That's the first word that comes to mind about Charleston and I can't believe it's my first time in the city; unfortunately for less than 24 hours. I'm definitely coming back a'la 'road trip' with some friends. Despite the fact that it is fall break here there was a good turnout for the film, including some students and faculty. I'm pressed for time and I need to catch my flight to Atlanta, so I'll update when I can. Please check out the great article that the Charleston City Paper ran about the screening. Go to charleston.gyrosite.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A34483

10/13 - I've had a little time to catch my breath and wanted to add a few words. I wanted to thank Margaret "Tog" Newman for attending my screening and even more so for sponsoring the tour. She is the chairwoman of the Southern Arts Federation which made my screening road trip possible. I also had a great time talking with Mark Sloan of the Halsey Institute. It turns out we have a photographer friend in common - Roger Manley. Oh and thanks for the book!

What a Day!

10/11 - What a mixed up day! I was late getting on my way to Clemson and ended up missing my exit by about 20 miles. At least the scenery was beautiful and a bit amusing as well - lots of "Jesus is Lord" and "Jesus Saved Me" signs. The screening did not go well either. Although there was a nice turnout of students and faculty, my disk kept skipping. My primary backup disk did not work at all and then my last backup disk wasn't working too well either. I was pretty disappointed. On the other hand, there were some very pointed questions after the screening and I had wonderful conversations with Amy (my hostess for the day) and her husband Jonathan. Amy and I talked about the Full Frame Festival which takes place in my backyard of Durham. We even had a few friends/filmmakers in common. Overall it was a rushed day full of mishaps! Let's hope things go more smoothly in Charleston!

Asheville Rocks!

10/10 - As most folks know, Asheville is an incredible town full of creative, excited and motivated people. I was fortunate to meet two of them who are putting the arts in the forefront and who exemplify the supportive and collaborative nature of the community. Alison Watson is the Executive Director of the Media Arts Project (a non-profit organization that cultivates innovative arts and technology in western North Carolina) and Neal who is the Manager of the Fine Arts Theatre (a very hip venue for independent film makers) which is where we screened my film in the Upstairs Auditorium. Sorry that I can't remember your last name Neal, but thanks for the great turnout at the screening! And thanks for the sneak peek at Moon Europa, a feature length sci-fi flick by another local, independent filmmaker.

I was surprised to see Daniel from the Memphis work-in-progress screening of the film. Daniel is a former activist who brought students to see The Guestworker and hopes to use the film for outreach. It was great to have him there. I've promised to send him the DVD.

Don't laugh, but I forgot my DVD at the theatre and had to wait for it to open today (10/11) which puts me late on the road to Clemson! With that - I'm off.

Highlights from High Point

10/9 - It was a short drive from my home town of Durham up to High Point. The High Point Theatre is a beautiful facility that looks relatively new. Its main screening area can accomodate approximately 1,000 people. We screened in an adjacent room which allowed for a more intimate screening; almost a lounge-type scene with plush sofas. I think this setting is one of the reasons we had such a lively Q&A session. I was impressed by the audience's focused attention to the film.

Louisa, the Executive Director of the High Point Theatre, was a terrific hostess who provided a nice 'wine and cheese' reception. She also took us to dinner at Southern Roots where we chowed down on typically southern fare of pork, collards, okra and sweet potatoes. As part of the High Point charm, I was allowed to arrive in rock star style. A local policewoman (Catherine) allowed me to park in the "No Parking Zone" in front of the theatre for the screening.

It was a nice surprise to run into an old acquaintence, Tom Terrell - a High Point attorney, who brought his family to the screening. Louisa and I have promised to stay in touch, so it was nice to make a new High Point friend as well! And of course, I'm running late and I need to get on the road to Ashville. I'll post again after today's screening.

Documentary filmmaker Cynthia Hill tours with Southern Circuit from Oct. 9 - 18

Listen to an audio interview with Cynthia Hill.
Get more information on Cynthia Hill and The Guestworker.
Get Cynthia Hill's Southern Circuit tour schedule.