Amidst an epidemic of the unwarranted use of deadly force by police and a nationwide call for reform, a notorious former officer comes forward for the first time to tell of the worst sins he committed in the name of fighting crime. Step-by-step, the officer reveals how he came to embrace the department’s ethos of battling violent offenders “by any means necessary” and in doing so, became a wrongdoer himself. In a redemptive effort, he now shares his story. Through his explosive behind-the-scenes account, the film decodes the hidden drivers of cop culture that lead officers to violate constitutional norms—and exposes systemic barriers to justice, some surprising and unexpected, that remain in play across the country today.
Status
Production
About the Filmmakers
A MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient, Charles Burnett's body of work is recognized with an Honorary Academy Award. His films include THE GLASS SHIELD, a groundbreaking narrative on police corruption and violence, as well as the Library of Congress National Film Registry selections KILLER OF SHEEP (among the Registry's first 50 films), and TO SLEEP WITH ANGER. His nonfiction work includes THE BLUES, produced by Martin Scorsese, and the recent PBS documentary POWER TO HEAL, on the painful and death-riddled history of segregation at Southern U.S. hospitals. Burnett is currently attached to direct an Amazon Studios project on Robert Smalls.
Nicole Lucas Haimes is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and journalist best known for her richly observed character portrayals and her incisive exploration of little-known worlds. Her feature documentaries include the New York Times critic pick CHICKEN PEOPLE, which prior to its 2016 theatrical release opened at SXSW where it was nominated for the festival's Gamechanger award, and at Nashville, nominated for the Grand Jury prize prior to airing in CMT. The critically acclaimed THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE HUNGRY, for the Emmy Award winning series ESPN Films 30 For 30, premiered at Tribeca 2019 and has since been seen world-wide. For PBS, Nicole wrote, produced, and directed the Emmy-nominated CRACKING THE CODE, and co-executive produced and directed for A&E, CONFESSIONS OF THE DC SNIPER, which presented the first exclusive interview with Lee Boyd Malvo. Other credits include Starz, CBS, BET, and the ABC News flagship documentary series TURNING POINT. CONFIDENTIAL POLICING DOCUMENTARY was selected for a Women-In-Film Sundance Film Financing and Strategy Fellowship.
Alessandra Pasquino is an Italian born, producer and filmmaker. Her most recent projects include: co-producing BAD REPUTATION about iconic rock star Joan Jett, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival and production for IMAX documentary SUPERPOWER DOGS (Science Centers nationwide). Notable past collaborations include projects with Oliver Stone, Leonardo Di Caprio, Wayne Wang, Matthew Rolston, Klaus Kinski, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and The Nomadic Museum of ASHES AND SNOW. In addition, Alessandra has produced and directed multiple award-winning ethnographic films on the effects of globalization on culture and health in developing countries for UCLA Dept. of Anthropology. She is a co-founder of GroundStorm Media, a production company capturing human-interest stories from the frontlines of communities facing crisis.
Lori Cheatle is a producer of over 25 award-winning films and the founder of Hard Working Movies a director-driven production company with an appetite for bold, beautiful, high-profile narratives, with films as unique and diverse as the filmmakers behind them. The films she’s produced have screened at all the top international film festivals, in cinemas and on TV and platforms around the world. Titles include US KIDS (dir. Kim Snyder), MATANGI/MAYA/M.I.A., directed by Steve Loveridge, winner of a Special Jury award at Sundance 2018 and the IDA Award for Best Music Documentary; I AM ANOTHER YOU by Nanfu Wang, which won two awards at SXSW and is released by FilmRise and Independent Lens; KIKI (IFC Films) by Sara Jordeno, which premiered at Sundance 2016 and won the Berlin Teddy Award; CAPTIVATED: THE TRIALS OF PAMELA SMART, directed by Jeremiah Zagar for HBO/Sky Atlantic; Amy Hardie’s THE EDGE OF DREAMING and her BAFTA nominated SEVEN SONGS FOR A LONG LIFE; HAIL, SATAN? released by Magnolia Pictures; and 51 BIRCH STREET (HBO), named one of New York Times 10 Best Films of the Year. She received the 2019 Sundance Amazon Producers Award.