Strong Island

Jan 23, 2017

1h 47m

★ 6.3

Overview

Examining the violent death of the filmmaker’s brother and the judicial system that allowed his killer to go free, this documentary interrogates murderous fear and racialized perception, and re-imagines the wreckage in catastrophe’s wake, challenging us to change.

Genres

Documentary

Production Companies

Final Cut for Real

yanceville films

Louverture Films

JustFilms / Ford Foundation

Chicken & Egg Films

Field of Vision

Strong Island Trailers

Cast

Himself

Yance Ford

Himself

Harvey Walker

Himself

Kevin Myers

Herself

Barbara Dunmore Ford

Herself

Lauren Ford

Himself

David Breen

Himself

Ed Boyar

The unsolved murders of Tupac Shakur and Christopher "Biggie Smalls" Wallace still stir the public's imagination after 20 years. Yet law enforcement has been at a standstill to produce results. The producers of "American Federale" and the first two "Assassination" films, finally unravel the tangled cases and expose not only who may have done it, but also why these cases have never seen justice. Battle For Compton" is the story of "The Machine"; a group of high powered individuals with a very dark secret they killed to keep, and have spent the last 20 years hiding- hoping one day it will all go away- before they do.

7.2

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

Jul 27, 2017

Describing herself as a 'street queen,' Johnson was a legendary fixture in New York City’s gay ghetto and a tireless voice for LGBT pride since the days of Stonewall, who along with fellow trans icon Sylvia Rivera, founded Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), a trans activist group based in the heart of NYC’s Greenwich Village. Her death in 1992 was declared a suicide by the NYPD, but friends never accepted that version of events. Structured as a whodunit, with activist Victoria Cruz cast as detective and audience surrogate, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson celebrates the lasting political legacy of Johnson, while seeking to finally solve the mystery of her unexplained death.

5.9

Why Did You Kill Me?

Apr 7, 2021

The line between justice and revenge blurs when a devastated family uses social media to track down the people who killed 24-year-old Crystal Theobald.

6.2

Black Box BRD

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Black Box BRD steps back into German history, showing the Federal Republic of Germany of the 70s and 80s. The country is polarized due to the power struggle of the German state and the "Red Army Faction". Society is torn, the fronts are irreconcilable. The life stories of both Wolfgang Grams and Alfred Herrhausen are tragically linked to this era. Grams is the one who takes up arms for moral rigor; Herrhausen however seizes power and dies when powerful.

5.0

Uncle Bob

Jun 26, 2010

Robert Oppel's documentary about the life and murder of his uncle and namesake, Robert Opel, the man who streaked the Academy Awards in 1974.

7.4

Breaking the Silence: The Maria Soledad Case

Oct 9, 2024

In '90s Argentina, the murder of a high school student sparks widespread protests. Retold by her loved ones, this documentary shows their fight for justice.

7.0

Swipe, Match, Murder: The Disappearance of Grace Millane

Oct 11, 2023

The story of the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane and how her killer was caught.

6.6

My Daughter's Killer

Jul 12, 2022

A father fights for decades to bring his daughter's killer to justice in France and Germany before taking extreme measures.

7.5

The Menendez Brothers

Oct 7, 2024

Serving life in prison for murdering their parents, Lyle and Erik Menendez speak out in this documentary explaining the shocking crime and ensuing trials.

6.9

An Invisible Victim: The Eliza Samudio Case

Sep 26, 2024

A star goalkeeper threatens a woman who is pregnant with his child. Her pleas for help go unanswered in the shadow of his fame — then tragedy strikes.

6.8

The Wolfpack

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Locked away from society in an apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Angulo brothers learn about the outside world through the films that they watch. Nicknamed ‘The Wolfpack’, the brothers spend their childhood reenacting their favorite films using elaborate home-made props and costumes. Their world is shaken up when one of the brothers escapes and everything changes.

3.5

Faces of Death III

Mar 10, 1985

The third installment of the infamous "is it real or fake?" mondo series sets its sights primarily on serial killers, with lengthy reenactments of police investigations of bodies being found in dumpsters, and a staged courtroom sequence.

6.9

Cyberbunker: The Criminal Underworld

Nov 7, 2023

This documentary reveals how a group of hackers powered the darkest corners of the internet from a Cold War-era bunker in a quiet German tourist town.

0.0

20 Years on Death Row

Sep 26, 2018

An in-depth examination to Keith Doolin, a former long-distance truck driver with no previous criminal convictions, currently incarcerated on death row in San Quentin prison around 20 miles north of San Francisco. He was convicted of the murder of two women in 1995 and after 20 years maintaining his innocence whilst awaiting execution he is still in limbo, going through California’s capital appeals system. Keith Doolin’s case is now a race against time. In late 2016, voters in California elected to speed up the death penalty process whilst Doolin’s defence lawyers claim they have uncovered credible new key evidence that will exonerate Doolin and could save his life and free him.

5.0

Brothers at War

Mar 13, 2009

BROTHERS AT WAR is an intimate portrait of an American family during a turbulent time. Jake Rademacher sets out to understand the experience, sacrifice, and motivation of his two brothers serving in Iraq. The film follows Jake’s exploits as he risks everything—including his life—to tell his brothers’ story.

4.0

The Nth Room case: The Making of a Monster

May 28, 2021

This hour-long documentary explains what happened in the Nth room chat rooms, how girls fell prey to the perpetrators, and how the digital world and social media platforms provide an optimal environment for online sex offenses to take place.

7.0

Homicide Hunter: Never Give Up

Aug 17, 2022

The unsolved rape, mutilation and murder of young G.I. Darlene Krashoc has haunted Joe Kenda in the years since he turned in his gun and badge. Until a crack team of cold case cops uses Kenda’s groundwork to set a trap for a monster hiding in plain sight.

10.0

Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy

Oct 5, 2023

Sitting down with co-creators Terry Dunn Meurer and John Cosgrove, along with long-time actors, producers, and directors of the show, this documentary special pulls back the curtain with behind-the-scenes stories from research and casting to solving mysteries soon after episodes aired. With never-before-seen outtakes of beloved host Robert Stack and a look into some fan-favorite moments. This program honors one of television's most enduring and recognizable shows as well as the fans who were integral to its success.

6.5

Nail Bomber: Manhunt

May 26, 2021

This documentary examines the 1999 London bombings that targeted Black, Bangladeshi and gay communities, and the race to find the far-right perpetrator. He terrorized a city, seeking to ignite a race war but justice was served by those who wouldn't let his hate win.