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This is also about how the criminal justice system systematically fails people like William, an indictment of the Suffolk County D.A.s failure to indict, and of the wider truth that in this country murder isnt murder if youre a white man who can persuade other white people that your fear of a black man counts as reasonable. Through interviews with Williams mother, Barbara; his sister, Lauren; and his friendsone, a high school classmate named Kevin, was present the night of the shootingYance paints a picture of just how wrong things went. Yance Ford was motivated to make Strong Island after being unhappy with the way the murder was handled by authorities. Fans Fuming Over Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings' Hosting Schedules: "I Want Ken Full-Time". Yance Fords grandmother had been forced to leave school in the fourth When the prosecutor brought forth the evidence against Reilly, a grand jury comprised of 23 white people failed to indict. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. All the essentials: top fashion stories, editors picks, and celebrity style. There's an immediacy to Yance Ford's chilling investigation "Strong Island" that runs the spectrum from bracing to uncomfortable. His work has appeared in NPR, Vanity Fair, and Playboy. William, an unarmed, black 24-year-old teacher, was slain by Mark Reilly, a 19-year-old white man who was working at an auto body shop on Long Island. Jr., who had chased and tackled the gunman. Screen Slate is a guide to moving image culture. Here are home movies, sixteenth-birthday parties or Respectful attention must be paid, because grief is in the room. Mr. Ford had gone there after a dispute over a repair and confronted Mr. Reilly about an insult that was said to have been made earlier to Mr. Fords mother. A grand jury declined to indict Mr. Reilly, a decision that staggered Mr. Fords loved ones. expected the repairs to take. Would she go through some of the questions that have been plaguing me for the past 22 years? asks Yance. 673, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Chris Rock Jokes About Watching Emancipation to See Will Smith Getting Whipped In Advance of Netflix Special: Report. William, an unarmed, black 24-year-old teacher, was slain by Mark Reilly, a 19-year-old white man who was working at an auto body shop on Long Island. Not the white-hot rage that explodes off the screen or even the crusading anger that can sometimes galvanize groups of people. William, unarmed and black, was shot by a white . It is heartbreaking to hear Fords mother reproach herself I hope now that the film's on Netflix, people will stop looking to me for their questions and start asking themselves questions. experience gave her a love of teaching. to indict Reilly for manslaughter, accepting the district attorneys night shift. from the last pages of William Ford, Jr.,s journal, and from his physical threat they were. 2022 International Documentary Association. His murderer was escorted from the crime scene without handcuffs and never prosecuted. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. Ford was unarmed. Movie:Strong Island Yance reconstructs the story in his own words, and in interviews with his . gangsta rap of that time, 1992, the year of William Ford, Jr.,s death. Synopsis [ edit] The film centers on the April 1992 murder of Ford's brother William, a 24-year-old African-American teacher in New York, who was killed by Mark P. Reilly, a 19-year-old white chop shop mechanic. The film also functions as a memoir of sorts, exploring the long history of racism in America by centering on Yance Fords working-class Black family. The grand jury declined Review: Strong Island Explores a Killing and Its Aftermath, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/14/movies/strong-island-review.html, Barbara Dunmore Ford, the mother of William Ford Jr., in an old family photo, as seen in the documentary Strong Island.. I don't know if we'll see it in my lifetime, that's for sure. Told in a straightforward manner with formal interviews, Strong Island explores the details of the case, the lives of William Ford and the mechanic, nineteen-year-old Mark P. Reilly, Reillys claim of self-defense, and why the Suffolk County, New York grand jury, who were all-white, decided to not indict Reilly for the crime, are covered step-by-step in dramatic detail. He was Williams confidante when the latter called to brag about the incident with the vacuum cleaner. Just talking about my transition and when I "came out" is a bit weird, because we have this expectation that every moment of our lives and realization about ourselves is going to be lived in some public arena. That's the thing that's going to be tough for people. 1,393, This story has been shared 1,173 times. He keeps the camera closely trained on the faces of those whove suffered emotional wounds that wont heal, and who live with regrets that are devastating. A Yanceville Films and Louverture Films production, Strong Island was produced by Ford and Joslyn Barnes and was co-produced by Signe Byrge Srensen for Final Cut for Real. Yances shattered reaction to this that the phone call he had already felt years and years of guilt about was indeed to blame for his brother being denied justice is something you wont soon forget. It's something that people need to be aware of as something that's never going to go away. VICE: Watching the film again reminded me of how uniquely affecting it is. I became very angry with myself because at one point I began to cry. by phone calls in the middle of the night, every night; nevertheless, . When we realize that punishing doesn't work and that justice ought to be about restorationthat the civil institutions of our justice system should work equally for everyone. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. He wanted to get his family out of the city, and 2023 Cond Nast. STRONG ISLAND, 2017. . I'm fearful that our courts are being undermined by a president who doesn't understand the constitutional separation of powers. I'm afraid that we're going to move backward to a time when we've embraced a punishment mentality to solve everythingnot just crime but everything. Outside of the courtroom, they were the targets of intimidation by an himself weighed, and how much Ford weighedas if to gauge how much of a It is jagged with anger. By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. tells a grand jury is crucial. The Terrifying Car Crash That Inspired a Masterpiece. The easiest way to deal with When do you think the punishing stops? He was shot in the chest with a rifle by We want to hear from you! William Ford, a 24-year-old African American who taught mathematics, was killed on April 7, 1992 in Central Islip. Since Trayvon Martins killing, we have become familiar with the Are we interrogating reasonable fear enough? Dont talk back; above all, Its a talk rooted in black history, and You're going to be punished for wanting to serve as a transgender [person], for wanting to have equal treatment if you're queer, if you want equal pay if you're a woman. I just wanted to know all the reasons exactly why. Then: Im not angry. How many of those murders aren't even being investigated? There was also a young man in Toronto who asked me how I could reconcile Mark Reilly's fear with my brother's behavior. Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. All Rights Reserved. There's your semi-public life and your private life. Yance, who is transgender, talks about how close he and William were, and more shatteringly, about his regrets. by the voice of Yance Ford, who, at different moments in the film, reads , is the director of the new Netflix documentary "Strong Island," which examines not just the murder but its aftermath including the failure of the criminal justice system and its effects on Ford's family.. Yance Ford was a 19-year-old art student when his brother was killed. 2,248, This story has been shared 2,204 times. As the documentary On April 7, 1992, after returning home from his testimony, he was shot in the chest on Long Island, New York, during a heated confrontation with mechanic Mark Reilly, 19, who was working on. City, William Ford, Jr., a twenty-four-year-old man, was shot and killed If people are curious about transgender identity, I'm going to pivot that conversation to an important place, which is how trans people of color aren't actually safe on in our country, and how I have to negotiate that in my travel to and from press and festivals. The shops owner had a record of running I did not feel that we were received as parents of a victim, reports Barbara. Nothing comes close to describing how astonishing it is for me, that the world will in some measure come to know my brother., Said Lisa Nishimura, Netflix VP Original Documentary Programming: Yance Fords intimate retelling of his familys history of love, violence and loss is filtered through such a personal lens that each shot captures the complexity of the films many intersecting threads of race, sexuality, class and gender.. Mark Reilly, a young white man. Detectives seemed only interested in asking the friend how much he Strong Island, a documentary chronicling the 1992 murder of first-time filmmaker Yance Ford's brother, William Ford Jr., and the effect it had on him and his family, incorporates the dynamics of a police-like procedural and gut-wrenching, upfront, self- confession. If Strong Island makes that easier for one family to seek out, then I'll be happy. Strong Island Review Netflix Documentary Oscar Nominee, This story contains heavy spoilers for Creed III. 947, This story has been shared 852 times. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. It creaks under the weight of the anguish it bears. And it's not over yet. Long Island, in 1992, and William's killer, Mark Reilly, a white man, did not face charges. Later, Williams parentshis mother passed away in 2012 after being interviewed for the film; his father died of a stroke soon after the murderexperienced more of the same. Washington a thing to say. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Love at First Kiss' on Netflix, a Spanish Rom-Com About a Man Gifted with 'Romantic Clairvoyance', Stream It Or Skip It: Tonight Youre Sleeping With Me on Netflix, a Dull, Passionless Polish Rom-Dram, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Disconnect: The Wedding Planner' on Netflix, A Nollywood Rom-Com, Stream It Or Skip It: 'A Sunday Affair' on Netflix, a Lukewarm Nollywood Love-Triangle Drama, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Marlon Wayans: God Loves Me' On HBO Max, Making The Oscars Slap All About Him, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Triangle of Sadness' on Hulu, Ruben Ostlund's Skewering of the Moneyed Elite. In one of these close-ups, towards the beginning of the film, Ford draws a clear line for his audience: If youre uncomfortable with me asking these questions, you should probably get up and go. For those who decide to stay past that warning, Strong Island offers an exceptionally powerful viewing experience. In college, struggling with his sexuality and gender identity (he is trans), the younger Ford saw it as a bonding moment, and so he kept the call a secret from his parents. Many, many times I wonder: How could I be so wrong?, Strong Island, as messy as the mess left in Williams wake, leaves many threads loose, many elements unresolved. My gender identity has been something that's been known to me since the day I was born. Her father died of an asthma Its my hope that this film will offer some a way to make sense of their own experience, and others a new way of seeing. unfamiliar car that often parked across the street from their house, and means that she hadnt warned him about what white people could get away My sister is my best friend. It's going to change over timeit's going to be different things on different daysbut these families are going to need support. the auto mechanic had had no reason to be fearful during either of his These Celebrities, Where Are They Now: 15 Of Your Favorite Celebs From 15 Years Ago. The film is a form of justice. In the second installment of a political discussion series with the Public Theatre, David Remnick examines the future of Black Lives Matter with the activist Brittany Packnett. Although Ford was unarmed, he became the prime suspect in his own murder. That includes himself. Ford observes to the camera, William Ford, Jr., became the prime suspect Ford, a imposingly large former high school football player who had previously come to Reillys auto body shop and allegedly thrown a vacuum cleaner in frustration, was not alive to defend himself. Available on: Netflix. The reckless youth has been revised as a responsibility of black tutelage, a right, and then were destroyed by all the things that they thought findings that, afraid for his life, he had shot Ford in self-defense. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Mark Valentines Day With Commitment Tattoos, Heres Everything Coming to Netflix in March 2023, 17 Oscar-Nominated Netflix Films to Watch in Honor of Awards Season, 8 Skin-Care Dos And Donts According to an A-List Facialist, Meet Etienne Fleurquin, the Danish Model Who Was a Saint Laurent Exclusive. William Ford, Sr., I hear a lot of talk on the net and on my Facebook feed about self-care, and I think that as a nation we need to understand that there are a lot of people in a lot of different positions in this society who need mental healthcare. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Because I felt that they were going to say, here is another black woman who didnt do her job with her child, and now she wants us to make somebody pay., The filmmaker and his mother both find opportunities to blame themselves for Williams loss (The madness that is my brothers death would drive me mad if I werent able to hold myself accountable for at least a small part of it, Yance explains). Strong Island is the story of a black family that could not sustain He was the kind of man who kept a journal about his goals, who wrote poetry, who had angst about his future. All families have their own stories; the Fords' story is one of bloodshed. Experience 10 years Vice President of Policy & Government Relations Jan 2017 - Present6 years 2 months Boston, MA I lead a team of policy advocates to design and execute strategies at the federal,. Dunmore Ford died during the making of the documentary, an William Ford had no record and was about to take the These Romantic Movies Are Guaranteed To Make You Cry, The Greatest Romantic Comedies That Youll Watch On Repeat, The Hottest Movie Sex Scenes, Ever (NSFW), The Best Part Of Snapchat? More than twenty years later, the investigating officer on the case Utilizing a creative mixture of traditional and non-traditional documentary approaches, Ford also investigates what really happened the night his brother died, a question that is foregrounded as significant for personal reasons yet ultimately not the entire point. The film's completion and release (now on Netflix) has dovetailed with his own gender transformation. had been neighborly; for her, Islip was moving back into a segregated The house had a stillness unlike anything Ive ever felt in my life, Barbara remembers of the aftermath of her sons death. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. Strong Island, a documentary chronicling the 1992 murder of first-time filmmaker Yance Ford's brother, William Ford Jr., and the effect it had on him and his family, incorporates the dynamics of a police-like procedural and gut-wrenching, upfront, self- confession. Reilly shot Ford through the heart with a rifle but an all-white grand jury, after a less-than-enthusiastic investigation, declined to issue an indictment, and the case died. great disservice in raising him the way we did, she says. I did William a Reilly had determined which questions the white investigators asked in William 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. In an appropriation of true crime style, details and testimonies are shuffled around to increase curiosity and unveil late revelations, some of which are devastating. 2,204, This story has been shared 1,797 times. Documentary chronicling how an investigation into a young black man's murder in 1992 turned into a personal journey for the brother of the victim. Yance Ford, Williams younger brother, paints a portrait of not only a grave injustice but of a family broken. "I actually misspelled the word 'odyssey' this morning," says Ford. was herself a girl when she taught her own mother to read and write. of his family he gave up school and became an M.T.A.