Becoming Black Lawyers
When these five Black lawyers set out on their journeys to receive a professional legal education, they did not realize that they would have to struggle against additional battles even more challenging than the rigors of learning the law in a hypercompetitive environment. They discover the contradictions of studying in an institution that idealistically represents "justice" for all.
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Evangeline MitchellDirector
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Evangeline MitchellProducer
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Jalene MackProducer
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Veronica N. DunlapKey Cast
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Alexi ThomasKey Cast
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Marcus SandiferKey Cast
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Natasha M. NurseKey Cast
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Paula T. EdgarKey Cast
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Evangeline MitchellWriter
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Project Type:Documentary, Short
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Runtime:25 minutes
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Completion Date:June 7, 2021
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Production Budget:5,000 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:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Black & White
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Paris International Film AwardsParis
France
Best Short Documentary -
BEYOND: The Cary Film FestivalCary
United States
October 7, 2021
Official Selection -
Idlewild International Film FestivalIdlewild
United States
August 28, 2021
Official Selection -
New Haven International Film FestivalNew Haven
United States
October 27, 2021
Official Selection -
Golden Short Film FestivalRome
Italy
September 5, 2021
Official Selection -
Los Angeles Black Film FestivalLos Angeles
United States
September 9, 2021
Official Selection -
Hollywood South Urban Film FestivalAtlanta
United States
August 25, 2021
Official Selection/Best Short Documentary Award -
Montreal International Black Film FestivalMontreal
Canada
September 22, 2021
Official Selection -
Greater Cleveland Urban Film FestivalCleveland
United States
September 9, 2021
Official Selection/Outstanding Short Documentary -
Queens Underground International Black and Brown Film FestivalQueens
United States
October 23, 2021
Official Selection -
SABIFF 2021 - San Antonio Black International Film FestivalSan Antonio, Texas
United States
September 30, 2021
Official Selection -
Detroit Black Film FestivalDetroit, Michigan
United States
August 23, 2021
Official Selection -
Urban Film FestivalMiami, Florida
United States
September 3, 2021
Official Selection -
Black Legacy Film Festival
United States
Official Selection -
International Social Change Film Festival
Official Selection -
Black Feedback Film Festival
United States
August 7, 2021
Official Selection/Best Film -
The IndieFEST Film AwardsLa Jolla, California
Award of Merit Special Mention, African American -
Robinson Film Awards International Film Festival
Italy
Honorable Mention -
World Film Carnival - SingaporeSingapore
Singapore
August 27, 2021
Official Selection and Outstanding Achievement Award Winner - Documentary Film -
Toronto International Women Film FestivalToronto
Canada
August 22, 2021
Official Selection -
International Diversity Film Festival
August 25, 2021
Official Selection -
Baltimore International Black Film FestivalBaltimore, Maryland
United States
Baltimore/Maryland Premiere
Official Selection -
Twin Cities Black Film FestivalMinneapolis, Minnesota
United States
Minnesota Premiere
Official Selection -
Paris Play Film FestivalParis
France
Finalist -
FLICKFAIR Film Festival
Official Selection -
London ShortsLondon
United Kingdom
Nominee - Best Short Documentary -
Sweden Film Awards
Sweden
Semi-Finalist -
Soul West FestPhoenix, Arizona
United States
Official Selection -
The Hollywood First-Time Filmmaker Showcase
United States
Official Selection -
Urban Mediamakers FestivalAtlanta, Georgia (Gwinnett County)
United States
October 11, 2021
Official Selection/Best Social Impact Documentary Short -
Sunnyside Shorts International Film Festival 2021Sunnyside, Queens, New York
United States
September 25, 2021
New York Premiere
Official Selection -
Los Angeles Lift-Off Film FestivalLos Angeles, California (Virtual)
United States
September 12, 2021 -
Stockholm City Film FestivalStockholm
United States
September 12, 2021
Best Short Documentary -
Gary International Black Film FestivalGary, Indiana
United States
October 8, 2021
Official Selection -
Topaz Film Festival Presented by Women in Film DallasDallas, Texas
United States
October 18, 2021
Official Selection/Audience Choice Award -
22nd AAWIC (African American Women in Cinema) Film Festival Special Online EditionVirtual
United States
November 4, 2021
Official Selection -
Amsterdam Lift-Off FestivalAmsterdam
Netherlands
October 10, 2021
Official Selection -
Paris Lift-Off Film FestivalParis
France
October 24, 2021
Official Selection -
Melbourne Lift-Off Film FestivalMelbourne
Australia
November 21, 2021
Official Selection -
Sydney Lift-Off Film FestivalSydney
Australia
November 21, 2021
Official Selection -
London Lift-Off Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
December 1, 2021
Official Selection -
Kwanzaa Film Festival 2021Harlem, New York City
United States
December 26, 2021
Official Selection -
Amsterdam Lift-Off Film FestivalAmsterdam
Netherlands
October 10, 2021
Amsterdam and Netherlands Premiere
Official Selection -
Paris Lift-Off Film FestivalParis
France
October 24, 2021
Official Selection -
Capital City Black Film FestivalAustin, Texas
United States
December 3, 2021
Austin Premiere
Official Selection -
Los Angeles Lift-Off Film FestivalLos Angeles, California
United States
September 12, 2021
Official Selection -
Newark Short Film AwardsNewark, New Jersey
United States
October 8, 2021
Official Selection -
Norwalk Film FestivalNorwalk, Connecticut
United States
December 17, 2021
Connecticut Premiere
Official Selection -
Montreal International Black Film FestivalMontreal
United States
September 22, 2021
Montreal Premiere, Canada Premiere
Official Selection/Jury's Award - Best Documentary Short -
Visions of the Black ExperienceSarasota, Florida
United States
November 12, 2021
Official Selection -
The South African Independent Film FestivalCape Town
South Africa
November 24, 2021
South African Premiere
Official Selection -
Dunedin International Film FestivalDunedin, Florida
United States
January 13, 2022
Dunedin Premiere
Official Selection -
Black Film Festival Atlanta!Atlanta, Georgia
United States
February 1, 2022
Official Selection -
Toronto Black Film FestivalToronto
Canada
February 9, 2022
Official Selection -
Denton Black Film FestivalDenton, Texas
United States
North Texas Premiere
Official Selection -
Halifax Black Film FestivalHalifax
Canada
February 24, 2022
Official Selection -
Queens Underground International Black History Month FestivalQueens, New York
United States
Official Selection -
Broad Street Film FestivalSugar Hill, Georgia
United States
Official Selection -
Black Art & Film FestivalSt. Petersburg, Florida
United States
February 24, 2022
Official Selection -
Djarfogo International Film FestivalFogo
Cape Verde
November 9, 2021
Official Selection; Honorable Mention -
Wake Forest Film FestivalWake Forest, North Carolina
United States
March 4, 2022
Official Selection -
The Black Film SummitNaperville, Illinois
United States
March 18, 2022
Official Selection -
Huntington Beach Cultural Cinema ShowcaseHuntington Beach, California
United States
March 24, 2022
Official Selection; Best Documentary Film; Jury Selection - Special Honor -
North Carolina Black Film FestivalWilmington, North Carolina
United States
March 24, 2022
Official Selection -
Ottawa Black Film FestivalOttawa, Ontario
Canada
March 24, 2022
Official Selection -
Black Film Festival of New OrleansNew Orleans, Louisiana
United States
March 25, 2022
Louisiana Premiere
Official Selection -
Indie Movies Spark International Film FestivalUtrecht
Netherlands
Netherlands Premiere
Official Selection -
Rhode Island Black Film FestivalProvidence, Rhode Island
United States
April 6, 2022
Providence Premiere; Rhode Island Premiere
Official Selection -
The Massachusetts Independent Film FestivalWorcester, Massachusetts
United States
April 14, 2022
Worcester Premiere
Official Selection -
Boston International Film FestivalBoston, Massachusetts
United States
April 14, 2022
Boston Premiere
Official Selection -
Las Vegas Black Film FestivalLas Vegas, Nevada
United States
April 21, 2022
Las Vegas Premiere; Nevada Premiere
Official Selection -
San Diego Black Film FestivalSan Diego, California
United States
April 27, 2022
San Diego Premiere
Official Selection -
Seattle Black Film FestivalSeattle, Washington
United States
April 28, 2022
Seattle Premiere
Official Selection -
Calgary Black Film FestivalCalgary, Alberta
Canada
May 26, 2022
Calgary and Alberta
Official Selection -
Greenwood Film FestivalTulsa, Oklahoma
United States Minor Outlying Islands
June 8, 2022
Tulsa and Oklahoma
Official Selection -
The 20th Annual Women of African Descent Film Festival presented by The Brooklyn Chapter of The LinksBrooklyn, New York
United States
June 11, 2022
Official Selection -
San Francisco Black Film FestivalSan Francisco, California
United States
June 16, 2022
San Francisco
Official Selection -
The Film Collective. Short Film FestivalBensalem, Pennsylvania
United States
June 17, 2022
Bensalem and Pennyslvania
Official Selection -
Filmteenth International Film FestivalBethesda, Maryland
United States
June 18, 2022
Bethesda
Official Selection -
Charlotte Black Film Festival (Charlotte, North Carolina) – June 23-26, 2022Charlotte, North Carolina
United States
June 23, 2022
Charlotte
Official Selection -
Roxbury International Film FestivalBoston, Massachusetts
United States
June 23, 2022
Official Selection -
International Black & Diversity Film FestivalToronto, Ontario
Canada
June 25, 2022
Official Selection -
The Micheaux Film FestivalLos Angeles, California
United States
July 11, 2022
Official Selection -
Accra Indie Filmfest (AiF)Accra
Ghana
August 2, 2022
Accra and Ghana
Official Selection -
The RSF Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival – August 5-13, 2022Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
United States
August 5, 2022
Martha's Vineyard
Official Selection -
24th Annual Sidewalk Film FestivalBirmingham, Alabama
United States
August 22, 2022
Birmingham and Alabama
Official Selection -
Indianapolis Black Documentary Film FestivalIndianapolis, Indiana
United States
August 26, 2022
Indianapolis and Indiana
Official Selection
Distribution Information
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N/A
Evangeline M. Mitchell is a lawyer, author and publisher, social entrepreneur, non-profit founder, and documentary filmmaker. She is a graduate of HBCU Prairie View A&M University, the University of Iowa College of Law, and the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She recently earned her Certificate in Documentary Arts from The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas, she currently resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her family.
“This film reveals that when it comes to anti-Black racism, prejudice and discrimination in America, the walls of law school offer no protection.” – Evangeline M. Mitchell, Director, Becoming Black Lawyers
I was shocked about what I experienced as a “Black” law student. I wondered if what I experienced was real or just something in my head because it was so hard to believe and process. I had attended a predominantly Black high school and a historically Black university in the South. So, although I was nervous about going to a predominantly White law school in a Midwestern state that wasn’t very diverse, I honestly didn’t expect to encounter issues around race. I didn’t really understand or have a true sense of what racism looked like. For some reason, because I was going to “law school,” I thought that it would be a place filled with people who believed in and wanted this ideal of “justice” and “fairness” including racial justice and social justice - for all. The fact that what I had envisioned in my mind and the reality I was faced with was so different was disheartening to me. Race was never discussed in my household or really in the educational environments I was in prior to law school, so I spent a great amount of mental and emotional energy trying to understand what I was experiencing.
This project is what I would consider “heart work” because I have long felt that the experiences of Black lawyers in White law schools were stories that needed to be told - and that the world needed to hear them. The paradox of going to a place that is supposed to represent and stand up for “equal justice,” which at the very same time, was a place where Black students were treated unfairly and with hostility, never sat right with me. It didn’t make sense to me while I was experiencing it in various law school environments (I attended at my law school, a summer law program abroad, a law school in my home city, and a semester study abroad law program which included students from a consortium of law schools), and it still didn’t throughout the years as I spoke with Black law students about their experiences. I have remained disappointed in learning that many years later – things still have not changed – no matter where you go to law school in the United States, with the exception of those that are uncommonly diverse or HBCU law schools. That desire to share our unique stories and lived experiences fueled a fire that never went away.
I wanted to do a film on this subject matter since I was a law student but never knew how I would make it happen. As time has gone by, I had a vision for this film well before I even put out a call to Black lawyers to participate. My inspiration and approach to the film came from watching HBO’s The Black List and Oprah’s Master Class several years ago. I loved the idea of people just telling their stories – transparently, directly - with minimal images and other footage to distract from their words. I felt that this pure storytelling would be effective, and would enable us to center these Black lawyers and their voices.
In talking to my own law school’s dean about my experiences, I recall him telling me that there was “nothing” that could be done about the mistreatment that Black students experienced by their White peers. I remember feeling like people didn’t want to talk about it and that it needed to be kept quiet, like a “secret” that we discussed with one another, but otherwise pretended wasn’t happening. There was an expectation that we suffer in silence. I felt the voices of Black lawyers – especially their sharing their struggles and the additional obstacles they had to overcome - needed to be heard and addressed. I wanted people to see the humanity and humility of these Black lawyers, and this particular format would enable that. Before the interviews, I provided all lawyers who agreed to participate with a general list of potential questions and only requested for them to tell the truth.
Although the film and show that I modeled my documentary after were both in full color, I really liked the idea of using a Black and White color filter and aesthetic. I felt that this look was important because this was an “old” issue of how White people treated Black people and considering the history of this country in the not-so-distant past, it would give an old school feel. I also thought that the Black and White would provide a beautiful and non-distracting look that would force viewers to really concentrate on the seriousness of the topic and focus on the person in front of them as opposed to everything else.
Through poignant, vulnerable, and honest storytelling, this film reveals that when it comes to anti-Black racism, prejudice and discrimination in America, the walls of law school offer no protection. The history of the United States has shown us that “the law” has had power in determining the status of Black people. We went from being viewed and treated as property and things to second-class citizens to citizens. The law was purposely used to enslave, subjugate, and segregate us – and then to free and give us rights. Because of this “special relationship” that Black Americans have with the law, that history and that legacy still impact the current status of Black people today. In considering the central role of the legal system in oppressing Black people in the past, do the institutions that train lawyers who will help create, interpret, and enforce the law now need to take on a leadership role in advancing diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice? This film provides a vehicle to incite greatly needed discussion about where we were, where we are now, and the next steps for positive change in the future.