Traverse City Film Festival - The Blood is at the Doorstep
On April 30, 2014, Dontre Hamilton, a black, unarmed man diagnosed with schizophrenia, was shot 14 times and killed by a Milwaukee police officer responding to a non-emergency wellness check in a popular downtown park. His death sparked months of unrest and his family into activism.
Filmed over the course of three years in the direct aftermath of Dontre's death, this intimate verite documentary follows his family as they struggle to find answers and challenge a criminal justice system stacked against them. Offering a painfully realistic glimpse inside a movement born out of tragedy, this explosive documentary takes a behind the scenes look at one of America’s most pressing social issues.
Interview with Director, Producer, DP Erik Ljung
Watch on Hulu
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Dontre was shot and killed just a mile from my house, and across the street from where I used to work. Dontre was shot 14 times by an officer responding to a non-emergency wellness check in one of the most populated parks in Milwaukee. The details of the case were very murky early on and Dontre was portrayed in the media as a violent, mentally ill homeless person. I was interested in hearing from the family’s perspective, and to show the other side of the story.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Approximately 1,200 Americans are killed by police every year. For every name you have heard on the news, there is probably another 100 cases that you did not hear about. This is one of those stories and this film offers a unique perspective into the grassroots movement in the aftermath of one of these shootings as the case unfolds in real time.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
When I started filming rallies early on I was not thinking about making a feature length film. To be quite honest I didn’t really have a plan. I just knew I had to be there covering what was happening from an independent perspective and bear witness to this movement born out of tragedy. The more I filmed the public rallies, the more the family and I grew comfortable with each other and the more they let me into their lives. In documentary filmmaking you never know where the story will lead you, but if the Hamilton family was not as amazing as they are, there would not have been a film. Watching their relentless fight and growth over the 3 years we filmed with them was an inspiration for me to documenting their progression. Without them the film would not have been possible.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We premiered the film at SXSW and have played at some festivals since then. The response thus far has been great. It is always amazing going to a city we have never been and seeing the crowd react to the Hamilton family during the Q&As. Their story has really resonated with audiences and there has been some really passionate post screening discussions. We’ve been getting a lot of emails from people all over the country inquiring how they can see it. We hope to get distribution soon to be able to share with a wider audience. Stay tuned.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I think our film has challenged some of our viewers point of view. We have gotten some great feedback from people after the screening, most recently in LA. I was approached by a white middle aged man who admitted to being reluctant to come to the screening but was lured in by a friend. He figured it was going to be an anti-cop film. After watching the film he felt the film was fair, and he walked away re-evaluatiing some of his judgements about activism in the wake of police shooting deaths.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We just want people to have the opportunity to see the Hamilton’s family story and get an in-depth look from an alternative perspective about police shootings. We hope the Hamilton family’s story will inspire audiences to take a more active role in their communities in whatever change they want to see.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We need a distributor who believes the Hamilton family’s story is a necessary film for American audiences to watch in order to better understand this epidemic of shooting deaths by police in this country.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We hope that the film will create a clearer picture about what leads up to freeways being shut down or when a gas station burns down because people have lost faith in economic policies and a criminal justice system that has failed them. We hope that this film provides some context for why there is unrest after an officer involved shooting. We also hope that the film raises awareness about mental health issues related to policing.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What role and training should police have in dealing with mental health related calls? What agency should run an investigation into officer involved shootings? Who should be making the final charging decision? How can you become active in your community in helping to fix these problems?
Interview: July 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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The Blood is at the Doorstep
On April 30, 2014, Dontre Hamilton, a black, unarmed man diagnosed with schizophrenia, was shot 14 times and killed by a Milwaukee police officer responding to a non-emergency wellness check in a popular downtown park. His death sparked months of unrest and his family into activism.
Filmed over the course of three years in the direct aftermath of Dontre's death, this intimate verite documentary follows his family as they struggle to find answers and challenge a criminal justice system stacked against them. Offering a painfully realistic glimpse inside a movement born out of tragedy, this explosive documentary takes a behind the scenes look at one of America’s most pressing social issues.
Length: 90 mins
Director: Erik Ljung
Producer: Erik Ljung
About the director and producer:
Erik Ljung – Director / Producer / DP - Erik Ljung is a freelance Producer and Director of Photography currently based in the midwest. He has produced content and short documentaries for the New York Times, VICE News, Al Jazeera, PBS and the Wall Street Journal. In 2016 he won a midwest Emmy for his work on public television's Wisconsin Foodie. His cinematography can be seen on CNN’s The 414’s, which premiered at Sundance, and Almost Sunrise slated to air on POV in 2017. He is a former Nohl Fellow, and a two-time Brico Forward Fund recipient for his documentary work.
Michael Vollmann - Editor - Michael T. Vollmann’s editing credits include HBO, ESPN 30 for 30, CBS. He most recently directed the documentary “The 414s” (CNN Films) which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Michael D.P.’d the feature doc “The Jeffrey Dahmer Files” (IFC) (2012 SXSW) which became a New York Times Critics’ Pick. Michael won the 2013 Milwaukee Filmmaker-in-Residence award for his short film "Before You" (Milwaukee FlIm Festival ’13) which went on to win Best Wisconsin Film at the Wisconsin Film Festival ’14.
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Key cast:
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebloodisatthedoorstep
Twitter: @bloodatdoorstep
Instagram: @bloodatdoorstep
Other: https://www.thebloodisatthedoorstep.tv
Funders: Milwaukee Film’s Brico Forward Fund
Made in association with: The September Club
Where can I see it in the next month?
July 29th & 30th at the Traverse City Film Festival
August 2nd @ The Newseum in Washington D.C. in partnership with the ACLU
August 12 @ The Monmouth Film Festival - Red Bank, NJ
August 27 @ Destiny City Film Festival - Tacoma, WA