Filmmaker Yance Ford isn’t afraid to delve deeply into the world of true crime in new Netflix original documentary, Strong Island. The streaming service have this week released their first official trailer for the documentary, which you can now watch below:
Looking at the way in which people of colour are treated in the United States of America, even when they’re the victim of a violent crime, the film will see the pain and devastation that lingers on for the family of their murdered son and brother, William Ford.
The official synopsis for the film reads: “In April 1992, on Long Island NY, William Jr., the Ford’s eldest child, a black 24-year-old teacher, was killed by Mark Reilly, a white 19-year-old mechanic. Although Ford was unarmed, he became the prime suspect in his own murder. Director Yance Ford chronicles the arc of his family across history, geography and tragedy – from the racial segregation of the Jim Crow South to the promise of New York City; from the presumed safety of middle class suburbs, to the maelstrom of an unexpected, violent death. It is the story of the Ford family: Barbara Dunmore, William Ford and their three children and how their lives were shaped by the enduring shadow of racism in America.”
With the racial tensions in America developing right now more than they have done for quite some time, this film could provide an outlook for those who find it hard to put themselves in the shoes of a person of colour, though it could also cause further divides.
Whatever the case may be, Strong Island will be a documentary the world talks about for some time.
Strong Island launches on Netflix in the UK on September 15, 2017.