Free Joan Little
Director(s): Yoruba Richen
Film description: "Free Joan Little" tells the story of Joan Little, the first woman in U.S. history acquitted of using deadly force to resist sexual assault. Her landmark 1975 trial drew international attention and sparked conversations about sexual violence, racial justice, and prisoners' rights.
Paired with ‘The Sight Unseen’ as a joint program
The Sight Unseen: In 1971, a six-year-old girl in the Bronx discovers a glowing cross in her bathroom window, igniting awe and doubt across her community. Fifty years later, she returns to confront the mystery that shaped her faith—and her understanding of miracles.
ERIC SAYS It’s not often that a film programmer comes across two featurettes in the forty-minute range that pair as perfectly as these excellent works do. While Free Joan Little is all documentary and The Sight Unseen is a personal story taking a hybrid approach, both cast aesthetically rich looks back at resonant moments in the Black experience—and both will have you on the edge of your seat, in different ways. Free Joan Little brings to my mind films like Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed and Attica; The Sight Unseen suggests a kinship with the work of John Akomfrah and The Black Audio Film Collective. Each richly rewards your attention, and together they form one of the most satisfying programs on offer in this year’s lineup.
Writer(s): N/A
Producer(s): Yoruba Richen, Christalyn Hampton, and Bonnie Bertram
Editor(s): Hannah Vanderlan
Country of origin: USA
Principal cast: Karen Bethea-Shields, Angela Davis, Christina Greene, Larry Little
Language: English
Year: 2025
Duration: 38 min
Premiere status: Maryland premiere
