Minnesota! The Modern Day Selma announced today that it has won Grand Prize Best Documentary Film at the Silver State Film Festival that was held at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas. This brings the film to a total of 13 Film Festival Awards, including 3 for Best Director and has 23 Official Selections in Film Festivals all over the world. The film strikes a nerve in that Police violence is likely to continue with no solution in sight.
The documentary highlights California congressional candidate Joe Collins and his campaign team traveling to Minnesota, after being called on by activist and author Angela Stanton King, to fight for social justice and police reform, standing in solidarity with families impacted by police violence, and holding elected officials accountable. Minnesota! The Modern-Day Selma shows politicians running for cover, buildings engulfed in flames, and anger boiling over.
“Going to Minneapolis was not about being a Republican or Democrat, it was about the fight for police reform,” said Collins. “Mr. Floyd wasn’t a perfect man, but his death highlights what has been going on in urban communities for years.”
Collins blames politicians who fail to pass legislation that would positively affect communities of color and provide much needed resources for law enforcement officers to get much needed training.
“We need systems in place to identify which officers have a history of complaints or infractions against civilians,” said Collins. “I am proud to be a part of efforts for change and will continue to do what I can in the fight for reform and accountability.”
Floyd’s story wasn’t unique to Minneapolis. His story resonated in Compton, CA, as one of its former mayor’s echoed the sentiment for police to be held accountable for their actions.
“As the film’s producer, I was startled by the first hand accounts of the suffering, agony, and despair I witnessed contained in the testimonies of women who live with the life altering impact of police brutality,” said Omar Bradley, who served as mayor from 1993-2001. “This film is a tear jerker that never fails to deliver one ominous message: policing in America must change.”
George Floyd became the face of police violence when Derek Chauvin placed his knee on the neck of Floyd resulting in Floyd’s death. Americans all saw the buildings burning around the country that erupted as a result of the senseless killing. Chauvin has since been convicted of this murder.
“This movie started at 3.5 hours and we did a recut, and been honing the film ever since,” said Michael Carlin, the film’s director. “Listening to the final version in the theatre, it’s a digital cinema package which makes it qualify for the Academy Awards, and there is a message here.”
The film is designed to bridge the gap to finding a solution of reforming the police in this country.
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