On Sunday morning, May 7th 2000, 15 year old black American Brenton Butler left his Florida home to apply for a job at Blockbuster Video.
By noon he had been arrested for the murder of a white tourist; by nightfall he had been beaten into confessing.The only luck to come his way is the naming of Patrick McGuinness as his attorney: the chain-smoking 50 year old is determined to untangle the web of lies that framed his young client.
French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade secures extraordinary access to the criminal investigation, including the unprecedented use of two cameras in a Florida courtroom.
The resulting film is a frightening, unforgettable real life drama and a sad reflection on the continuing struggle of African-Americans for fair treatment in the US criminal justice system.
Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary; FIPA d’Argent.
(2001. France /USA. Beta. Colour. 110 mins)
Directed by: Jean Xavier de Lastrade, Denis Poncet