On october 6, 1991, anita hills life was dramatically and irrevocably changed when her charges of sexual harassment against a former employer, clarence thomas, were made public on the eve of his confirmation as a u. Hbos confirmation revisits anita hill, clarence thomas. In confirmation, a recent hbo film about the thomas hearings, that treatment. A recent hbo film put the spotlight back on hill, and the difficult questions of race and gender surrounding. Directing the documentary offers timetested principles to help you master the craft. Speaking truth to power is a documentary film about anita hill, clarence thomas, and the confirmation hearings that took place in the us senate in. Just because the senates awareness hasnt been raised, doesnt mean that.
Come back after dessert but according to hills 1997 book speaking truth to power, the women who entered the dining room were stopped at the door and told to come back later after maine sen. College holds screening, discussion of anita hill documentary. Twitter didnt exist in 1991 when hill gave her testimony before the senate, but i couldnt help but wonder how things would have played out if it had. It further establishes leigh gilmore as one of the best critics writing today on the intersection of feminism and life narrative. Thomas flirted in such a vulgar manner and subjected ms. It further establishes leigh gilmore as one of the best critics writing today on the intersection of. She became a national figure in 1991 when she accused u. It premiered at the 2018 sundance film festival, and.
Since the hearings where anita hill accused him of sexual. For anita hill, the standing ovation began before she said a single word. The recent documentary film, anita, is a great compliment to her writing and helps us understand the tenor of the hill thomas hearing of 1991 by the power of its visual impact. Jon reiss is a filmmaker and media strategist who wrote the book think outside the box office. Anita, directed by freida mock, who won an academy award for her 1994 documentary on sculptor maya lin, shows hill in her new home on friendly ground in waltham, mass. After her astonishing testimony in the clarence thomas hearings, anita hill. I thought about twitter while watching anita, freida lee mocks documentary about anita hill. Anita hill made her claim to fame by accusing justice clarence thomas of sexual harassment during his confirmation hearing back in 1991. The new anita hill documentary and speaking in public as a. Hill, is a professor of social policy, law, and womens studies at brandeis university, where she teaches courses on race and the law and gender equality. Leave no trace is a 2018 american drama film directed by debra granik and written by granik and anne rosellini, based on the novel my abandonment by peter rock. The documentary anita tells the story of anita hill, who challenged justice clarence thomass nomination and brought sexual harassment into public awareness. Anita, a new documentary directed by academy awardwinner freida mock, traverses the story of anita hill.
Hill to a lot of unwanted advances and discussions about his sexual life and the length of his love machine. In 1992, anita hill told 60 minutes why she accused clarence thomas of sexual harassment. She has become an american icon, empowering millions of women and men around the world to stand up for equality and justice. In his new book, the enigma of clarence thomas, corey robin, author and. Tainted witness is an important, relevant, often brilliant book. The documentary told the story of anita hill, a former coworker of supreme court justice clarence thomas whose senate confirmation hearing for appointment to the supreme court made headlines in 1991. Independent documentary distribution in turbulent times. In 1991, anita hill endures attacks on her own character and credibility after she accuses supreme court nominee clarence thomas of lewd conduct. Speaking truth to power is a 2014 documentary about the woman who ignited a firestorm of controversy when she testified in front of the senate judiciary committee that she was sexually harassed by. Pending that, the judgment of journalists with book contracts will have to do. As you may recall, anita hill was a littleknown law professor who took the nation by storm in 1991 when she alleged that thenu.
Last year david brock, a writer for the bratty conservative monthly the american spectator, published the real anita hill, which suggested that hill was a woman romantically obsessed with. New york audiences at the recent manhattan premiere of anita rose to their feet and burst into applause when the films subject walked onstage. A story truly and fully, without coverups or distortions. Anita hill documentary sure to anger and expose trailer. After her astonishing testimony in the clarence thomas hearings, anita hill ceased to be a private citizen and became a public figure at the whitehot center of an intense national debate on how men and women relate to each other in the workplace. Supreme court nominee clarence thomas, her supervisor at the united states. Anita hill biography, birth date, birth place and pictures. Nina totenberg broke anita hills sexual harassment allegations against supreme court justice candidate clarence thomas in 1991. Against a backdrop of sex, politics and race, academy award r winning filmmaker freida mocks anita reveals the intimate story of anita hill, a woman who dared to speak the truth. Speaking truth to power is an important historical document about an event that prompted a larger cultural conversation about sexual harassment. A look back at anita hills first big tv interview cbs news. She produced the emmy nominated series woman for viceland and executive produced the glorias, among other stage and video projects.
Hbos confirmation revisits anita hill, clarence thomas and drama in the senate left, anita hill in 1991. Anita hill, american attorney and educator who garnered national attention for her testimony in the 1991 senate confirmation hearings for u. She is a university professor of social policy, law, and womens studies at brandeis university and a faculty member of the universitys heller school for social policy and management. That same year, hill testified to the senate judiciary committee, which at the time was led by joe biden, about the sexual harassment she faced. The recent documentary film, anita, is a great compliment to her writing and helps us understand the tenor of the hillthomas hearing of 1991 by the power of its visual impact. She reflects on the climate then and how she was pilloried for it.
Big news about the documentary anita by freida mock. Near the end of anita, there is footage of hill speaking at an event at hunter college, in 2011. Anita hills graphic testimony was a turning point for gender equality in the u. First, this is a well done documentary on the justice thomas judicial hearing where anita hill was a witness who relate what is was like for her to work in his office with him. The backdrop of the film is from a reallife experience from the professor of law.
They won the pen open book award in 2018 for a moonless. Hbos confirmation is already coming under fire from d. In the ensuing days, hill was grilled by the senate judiciary committee about the graphic details of the. What jill abramson and anita hill now have in common. The plot follows a military veteran father with posttraumatic stress disorder who lives in the forest with his young daughter thomasin mckenzie. Department of education and the equal employment opportunity commission eeoc, she made a testimony against her boss on issues of sexual harassment. Anita hill on weinstein, trump, and a watershed moment for. American president bill clinton is currently charged with a sexual harassment suit by a 27yearold arkansas woman. I thought about this moment as i watched the new documentary anita. Right, kerry washington as anita hill in hbos confirmation. Year by year poems paperback small press distribution.
Anita hill joins to discuss the new documentary, anita, that revisits her dramatic testimony against justice clarence thomas that sparked a new debate in america about sexual harassment. This documentary from awardwinning filmmaker frieda lee mock examines the legacy of anita hill more than 20 years after her attempt to report supreme court justice clarence thomas for sexual harassment. Anita hill, a woman with unusual insight into this topic, agrees that the nature of weinsteins accusers is the reason that his exposure has proved to be a. The documentary section on netflix is a prime spot for finding inspiring, timely, and important stories that will ultimately change your view on life one way or.
A compelling new documentary film about anita hill from academy awardwinning director freida mock and samuel goldwyn films. A profile of anita hill, the africanamerican lawyer who challenged clarence. Anita hill is credited as professor of social policy and law. Anita faye hill born july 30, 1956 is an american lawyer and academic. Hbos anita hill docudrama confirmation under fire from. The real story behind hbos confirmation from the npr. Limonero films is a straight talking, committed and reliable boutique international distributor of documentaries and factual programming. Hill, now a professor at brandeis university, was the subject of a recent documentary, anita, and still maintains that she does not believe thomas should have. Real anita hill by david brock meet your next favorite book. Through his company hybridcinema, he helps filmmakers such as nanfu wang navigate the. And i just thought to myself, i cant even believe people havent made a movie about this already. Speaking truth to power, which premiered in select cities this past weekend. Hill left the university of oklahoma at the end of the fall 1996 semester.
It was 23 years ago in october when anita hill, a law professor at a small school in oklahoma, became embroiled in a political scandal centering on the nomination of clarence thomas, who was tapped in. With jill abramson, joe biden, john carr, orrin hatch. We also have the anita hill tells her story with courage and heart. Directed by academy awardwinning filmmaker freida mock, the film celebrates anita hills legacy and provides a rare glimpse into her private life and career. Directed by academy awardwinning filmmaker freida mock, the film celebrates anita hill s legacy and provides a rare glimpse into her private life and career. Against a backdrop of sex, politics, and race, anita. Speaking truth to power reveals the story of a woman who has empowered millions to stand up for. Distribution strategies for a changing world the current state of independent film distribution is complex and evershifting. His father abandoned the family when thomas was two.
With clarence thomas, joe biden, anita hill, ginni thomas. After receiving her jd from yale law school in 1980, she worked as the attorneyadvisor to clarence thomas at the u. Most recently amy authored we are makers, a book based on the pbs documentary series makers. The story made headlines and history when hill, in 1991, sat before the senate judiciary committee and gave her testimony in regards to being subjected to lewd behavior by her superior, and. What jill abramson and anita hill now have in common the. Academy awardwinning documentarian freida lee mock takes on law professor anita hill s testimony at the clarence thomas confirmation hearings and its twodecadelong aftermath in anita, a thoughtful, deeply felt account of hill s remarkable journey and transformation from private citizen to internationally respected gender equality activist the anita hill clarence thomas hearings took place.
Supreme court nominee clarence thomas, whom she accused of sexual harassment. Samuel goldwyn films will distribute the film this fall. The court of public opinion has always been presided over by a hanging judge, but 23 years ago. In 1998 hills account of the events before, during, and after the thomas hearing, speaking truth to power, was published. We remember believing hills testimony of thomass blatant sexual harassment. Unlike many celebrity books, it is neither slapdash nor ghostwritten, but rather an. Theres a reason why this book keeps getting updated and keeps selling well. It was during the senate confirmation hearings in october 1991, for united states supreme court justice clarence thomas that anita hill became famous. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed. Speaking truth to power by anita hill, paperback barnes. Anita hill documentary to open this week in select cities. Anita hill courageously speaks openly and intimately for the first time about her experiences that led her to testify before the senate and the obstacles she faced in simply telling the truth. Many of us remember the anita hillclarence thomas hearing in 1991. Below is a rundown of a recent talk given at idfa by indie film distribution guru and strategist peter broderick, as reported by our staff member, carol ann short.
Anita by frieda lee mock clarence thomas 720229916172. The voynich code the worlds most mysterious manuscript. Brocks book a national sensation which landed on the new york times bestseller list. Ten years later, anita hill revisits the clarence thomas controversy. Kerry washington to play anita hill for hbo usa today. The life and times of anita hill 1956 at the time of hills birth.
A profile of anita hill, the africanamerican lawyer who challenged clarence thomas nomination to the us supreme court and thus exposed the problem of sexual harassment to the world. Brocks thorough investigation of the evidence in the thomashill hearings concluded that there was no reason to believe anita hills accusations of sexual harassment against clarence thomas. Ms paula jones claims that in may 1991, thengovernor clinton made sexual advances to her while attending a conference. A controversial figure, loved by some, reviled by others, few know much more than a few headlines and the recollections of his contentious confirmation battle with anita hill. Top 10 books about documentary filmmaking documentary.
Anita hill steps back into the spotlight in documentary. A book, written by an unknown author, illustrated with pictures that are as bizarre as they are puzzling and written in a language that even the best cryptographers have been unable to decode. Anita hill the film highlights the plights of women in workplaces. Speaking truth to power, sheds light on the important legacy of the. Anita hill is celebrated in the documentary anita the. Anita hill, the law professor and attorney whose accussations of being sexually harrassed by nowsupreme court justice clarence thomas gripped the nation in 1991, is finally getting her say. In 1948, clarence thomas was born into dire poverty in pin point, georgia.
143 695 1160 1526 1001 18 229 1334 1409 614 1098 120 67 610 956 860 165 1395 259 915 1116 551 415 230 1431 102 1086 451 361 407 638 404 696 554 336 840 424 128 1496 989 804 1283 1186