Look Away, Look Away
After an avowed racist murders nine black churchgoers in South Carolina, battle lines are drawn in Mississippi to determine the fate of the state flag with the most powerful, and divisive, symbol of the Confederacy.
On the surface, this is the story of the fierce 5-year fight over the state flag of Mississippi, which was the last of the original Confederate states to still have the Rebel flag in its design – a fact that warmed the hearts of many white Mississippians, and pissed off most of our African-American and progressive white neighbors.
But LOOK AWAY, LOOK AWAY is about more than a flag – it’s about Southern culture in crisis, and how race, heritage, and long-simmering grievances over the Civil War lead to a reckoning over the meaning of Confederate symbols.
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Patrick O'ConnorDirectorThe Invisible Patients
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Patrick O'ConnorProducerThe Invisible Patients
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Margaret McMullanProducerHow I Found the Strong (novel), Sources of Light (novel), Aftermath Lounge (stories), Where the Angels Lived (memoir)
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Matt LauterbachEditorAmerican Arab, Unbroken Glass, There Are Jews Here, Saving Mes Aynak
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Clay HardwickVideographers
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Dathon SeelyVideographersWelcome to the Village
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Patrick O'ConnorVideographersThe Invisible Patients
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Nathan WillisVideographersCowgirl Up, Rap Squad
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Misty TalleyPost-Production SupervisorOzark Sharks, Zombie Sharks, The Tiger and the Oak
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Eric PhillipsComposerChehalis: A Watershed Moment, Um Laoy Sewing Shop
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:1 hour 28 minutes
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Completion Date:February 26, 2021
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Production Budget:100,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:HD
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Oxford Film FestivalOxford, Mississippi
United States
March 27, 2021
North American Premiere
Audience Choice Awards for Best Documentary, Best Film and Best Mississippi Film
Patrick is an award-winning writer/director whose most recent documentary film, THE INVISIBLE PATIENTS, had its broadcast premiere on America ReFramed, a national PBS documentary series, in 2018. The film screened at the Heartland, Cucalorus, Chicago International Social Change and Indy FilmFestivals, as well as at Kartemquin Films’ Lab Series, universities and national conferences on bio-ethics and healthcare.
In addition to LOOK AWAY, LOOK AWAY, Patrick is in the 3rd year of production on a documentary about a family dealing with their young daughter's diagnosis with an ultra-rare, fatal genetic disease.
He lives and works in Pass Christian, Mississippi with his wife, the writer Margaret McMullan.
I began working on this film after watching grassroots activists organize rallies and protests to frame their arguments for keeping or removing the Mississippi state flag. I felt that trying to capture this important story with participation from activists on both sides (without choosing a side or judging anyone) would make the film more interesting, and also potentially lead to an opportunity for conversation and deeper understanding of why people have diametrically opposed perceptions of the same symbol.