MNFF continues to bring our audiences fresh programming with the kickoff of The Craven Conversations. Join MNFF Artistic Director Jay Craven for a series of exciting conversations with talented MNFF alumni, live on Zoom, beginning this Friday, May 15 at 4pm EDT with Jenifer McShane, the dynamic director of Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops.
The closing night film at MNFF5 last August, Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops follows two San Antonio Police Department officers who are diverting people away from jail and into mental health treatment — one 911 call at a time. In the process, they are redefining policing policy and its mandate to “keep people safe.” The film’s relevance and timeliness has only increased in this fraught pandemic environment where mental health challenges and domestic abuse incidents are on the rise.
Jenifer McShane is an independent filmmaker committed to using film to bridge understanding in situations where structural, organizational, cultural or religious divisions typically keep people apart. Her first feature documentary, Mothers of Bedford (2011), came together after she spent nearly five years visiting and gaining trust at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. It is a poignant portrayal of the impact of incarceration on jailed mothers and their children. Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops was filmed over two and half years in San Antonio, premiered at SXSW (2019), winning a special jury prize, and is currently streaming on HBO.
While we will host this discussion live on Zoom this Friday at 4pm EDT, we’ll also record and share it on the MNFF website and Facebook page. We welcome questions for the filmmakers. Want to send one in advance of the event? Contact Phoebe Lewis at pl@middfilmfest.org. Or submit a question during the event using the Zoom “Chat” function.
Please click here to enter your email in a secured space. We will send you the Zoom invitation on the morning of Friday, May 15.
If you have other questions, please send them to pl@middfilmfest.org.
We look forward to having you join us this coming Friday for the inaugural Craven Conversation!