Massive Resistance

In the wake of landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Ed in 1954, the state of Virginia refuses to integrate public schools. Massive Resistance - a systemic, years-long effort by state leaders to maintain segregation - spreads throughout the southern United States, frequently resulting in violence and terror. The ensuing civil rights movement eventually leads to the end of formal segregation throughout the country - except in Virginia's Prince Edward County, where public schools are closed for five years, forcing ordinary families to fend for themselves.

This immersive short documentary, composed almost entirely of archival footage from 1955-1963, throws the viewer into the turmoil and anguish in the struggle for integration.

  • M. Brennan
    Director
    As editor: Wrestlers (Netflix), The Hope Chest Has a Secret Drawer (short film), Murder on Middle Beach (HBO), Fyre Fraud (HULU), America Divided (EPIX), Mars (Net Geo / Imagine), White People (MTV), Son of the Congo (ESPN), Dark Net (Showtime), The Farm (Tribeca), Years of Living Dangerously (Nat Geo)
  • Dawne Langford
    Consulting Producer
    The Body Politic
  • Neda Armian
    Consulting Producer
    Murder on Middle Beach, Rachel Getting Married, Jimmy Carter Man from Plains
  • Lucian Read
    Consulting Producer
    America Divided, City of Joel, Years of Living Dangerously
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    29 minutes 16 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 5, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - M. Brennan

M. Brennan is an award-winning documentary film editor. James Cameron described her work as "immaculate" on Showtime's "Years of Living Dangerously" - 2014 Emmy winner for Best Documentary Series. M. has an extensive career cutting documentary films and series for Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Showtime, EPIX, Nat Geo, Tribeca, as well as veteran documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger and the legendary Albert Maysles.

She recently returned to her home state of Virginia.

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