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Red Hook Justice Documentary DescriptionEach year, our nation’s courts process over 11 million low-level crimes, many of which involve repeat offenders. In 2000, an experimental court opened its doors in Red Hook, Brooklyn—a neighborhood plagued by a cycle of unemployment, poverty and crime. This new court seeks to stop the cycle of crime, and heal the surrounding community. It is at the center of a legal revolution—the community justice movement. Over the course of nearly two years, RED HOOK JUSTICE’s film crew was granted unique access to film the daily activities of the Red Hook Community Justice Center, a pilot project in Brooklyn that houses a court and an array of social services. RED HOOK JUSTICE takes an in-depth look at the defendants and staff who are part of this experiment. This is a court that wants to give offenders a second chance. Before resorting to jail, the Red Hook judge mandates extensive drug treatment, job training and community service. But it's no easy way out. The Justice Center has an unprecedented involvement in defendants' lives, and cases that would be closed quickly in traditional courts can extend over many months. RED HOOK JUSTICE focuses on the dramatic stories of three Red Hook defendants and a handful of staffers at the Center. As the cases unfold, we see that the theories behind community justice and the reality of this new court are rarely in synch. The cameras capture intense vérité scenes of intake interviews in the Center's holding cells, arraignments and other court proceedings, heated staff interactions, community meetings, counseling sessions, and other day-to-day workings of the Justice Center. Individuals Profiled in RED HOOK JUSTICE Anthony, a 17-year-old with multiple drug arrests and other "quality of life" offenses. Both of Anthony's parents died years ago and he lives with his grandmother in the sprawling Red Hook public housing units. The middle child of 11 brothers and sisters, Anthony struggles to get his life on track while resisting the pull of the streets and a family legacy of death or jail. Michael is Anthony's 18-year-old brother. He's brought to Red Hook's court on a minor possession charge. He also faces a more serious charge of reckless endangerment in Brooklyn’s downtown criminal court, which might lead to jail time. Letitia, who has sold drugs and worked as a prostitute, gets pregnant shortly after being arrested while trying to buy heroin. She already lost two children to the foster care system when she was incarcerated on Riker's Island for selling drugs. Now, if she stays off drugs until the baby's birth, she'll have another shot at motherhood. Brett Taylor is a passionate Legal Aid defender who handles a hundred criminal cases at a time and wonders if this new court helps or hurts his clients. Near the end of the documentary, Brett leaves his job in Red Hook, heading west to Arizona to "play in the stock market." Leroy Davis, a court officer who grew up in the Red Hook housing projects, returns to his old neighborhood to make a difference. He takes Anthony under his wing, providing some much-needed guidance for the teen. District Attorney Gerianne Abriano works to redefine the role of prosecutor, and sometimes finds herself in the unlikely position of advocating for drug treatment rather than jail. Judge Alex Calabrese is the public face of the court, addressing critics at community meetings and taking a hands-on approach with defendants. His commitment is clear when pushing defendants to succeed or expressing frustration when he resorts to a jail sentence. In addition to Anthony, Michael and Letitia, we briefly meet other defendants who don't fare as well at the Justice Center: George Campos is a heroin addict charged with a felony burglary. District Attorney Abriano pushes for in-patient drug treatment, but Campos resists, and ultimately he is sentenced to eight months on Riker's Island. Tracy is also a heroin addict with a 20-page rap sheet for prostitution and drug possession. She agrees to a sentence of drug treatment, but admits to Legal Aid Defender Brett Taylor that she pleaded out because she was "dope sick and needed a bag of dope." She doesn't return for treatment and a warrant is issued for her arrest.
Sugar Pictures Production Staff PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER Meema Spadola Meema Spadola is an award-winning director and producer of documentary television and radio, and a writer. Her past work has appeared on PBS, HBO, Cinemax, Sundance Channel and worldwide and includes OUR HOUSE, GUNS & MOTHERS (co-produced with director Thom Powers), BREASTS, PRIVATE DICKS, VAGINA MONOLOGUES, and the series SHORTS FROM THE UNDERGROUND. She is the co-founder, with Powers, of Sugar Pictures, a documentary production company. EDITOR David Moore David Moore most recently edited WHEN OCEAN MEETS SKY (which screened at SXSW, The Newfest, and the LA Lesbian & Gay Film Festival). His other editing credits include GUNS & MOTHERS and JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE. NARRATOR LisaGay Hamilton LisaGay Hamilton is an actor and documentary filmmaker. She starred on ABC’s THE PRACTICE for seven years. Hamilton’s film credits include THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE and BELOVED with director Jonathan Demme. Her documentary, BEAH, premiered on HBO in 2004. DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Justin Schein Justin Schein is an award-winning cameraman and director who specializes in shooting cinema vérité documentary. In the past year he has shot for the BBC, National Geographic, MTV and PBS. His own films have aired nationally on PBS and screened at festivals around the world. He received his master's degree in documentary filmmaking from Stanford University. ORIGINAL MUSIC Ethan Stoller Ethan Stoller is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and music historian living in Chicago. RED HOOK JUSTICE is his first full-length score. Most recently, he produced a CD called I BELIEVE IN YOU under the name Dynamite Ham. CO-PRODUCER Thom Powers Thom Powers is the co-founder with Meema Spadola of Sugar Pictures. He produced and directed GUNS & MOTHERS, and co-produced with Spadola BREASTS and PRIVATE DICKS. He is currently writing an oral history of documentary filmmaking for Faber & Faber. EDITING CONSULTANT Sam Pollard Sam Pollard is a documentary filmmaker and editor of documentaries and feature films. Most recently, he edited the POV documentary CHISHOLM `72 directed by Shola Lynch which played at the Sundance Film Festival. He also edited the Spike Lee films, 4 LITTLE GIRLS, CLOCKERS, JUNGLE FEVER, and MO’ BETTER BLUES among others. EDITING CONSULTANT Nancy Roach
Nancy Roach is a documentary editor and producer. Past work includes Spadola’s ITVS documentary OUR HOUSE; the American Masters program FINDING LUCY; and Jem Cohen and Peter Sillen’s film BENJAMIN SMOKE. She also produced and edited segments for PBS’s LIFE 360.
Production Credits PRODUCED & DIRECTED BY Meema Spadola EDITOR David Moore NARRATOR LisaGay Hamilton DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Justin Schein EDITING CONSULTANTS
Sam Pollard WRITERS ORIGINAL MUSIC CO-PRODUCER ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY SOUND RECORDISTS GRAPHIC DESIGN PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS LEGAL COUNSEL ON-LINE EDITOR SOUND MIXER NARRATION RECORDING RIKERS ISLAND FOOTAGE ADVISORS SPECIAL THANKS Very special thanks to the Red Hook Community Justice Center and the residents
of Red Hook.
Funding FISCAL SPONSORSHIP PROVIDED BY MAJOR FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY This program was produced by Sugar Pictures LLC, which is solely responsible for the content. © Sugar Pictures LLC 2004
Purchase Information RED HOOK JUSTICE can be purchased from First Run / Icarus Films contact: 800-876-1710 or mailroom@frif.com. More info on purchasing the film can be found at www.frif.com. For more information: |
