Spring Valley
108 Minutes / Not Rated
Directed by Garrett Zevgetis
Synopsis:
An explosive viral video shows a white policeman throwing a Black teenager from her school desk. One woman uproots her life to help the girl, face the officer, and dismantle the system behind the “Assault at Spring Valley.”
One more from SXSW…
Will we ever get to a day when we don’t see a case like this on the news?
The United States is currently in the middle of a trial involving a white police officer and the death of a black man, and though the conclusion of the interaction recounted in Spring Valley was less physically tragic, it is no less indicative of so many things Americans are forced to confront, both about themselves and the society in which they live.
Long story short, then, those who approach this documentary with an open mind might find themselves seeing things they didn’t before… in both directions.
They may find themselves disabused of previously held notions… again, in both directions.
I applaud the officer involved in the Spring Valley incident for being so deeply involved in the making of the film. You may not agree with what he did or how he defends his actions, but you must respect him for being willing to engage in the discussion at all.
Even more worthy of admiration are the two girls involved: one who interacted with the officer, and the one who filmed the encounter and helped her fight in the aftermath. It is all too easy to sound brave until faced with a particular situation. Because of their courage, what could have been a fleeting blip of an incident which lead to nothing, has instead became a touchstone of discussion and evolution.
I find the refusal of the teacher, whose initial call for the officer kicked off the series of events, to participate in the film in any capacity both unsurprising and damning.
But maybe that’s just me.
Regardless, Spring Valley is a timely and important watch, one which should be taken with an open mind.
You might be surprised.
I hope Spring Valley finds an outlet soon. It should be seen.
Spring Valley features Vivian Anderson, Janae Davis, and Robin DiAngelo.
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