THE BODY POLITIC

BEYOND THE FESTIVAL screening series

Welcome to the Modern's film series, Beyond the Festival, where we invite you to delve into a world of storytelling that transcends the Lone Star Film Festival. Each month, this series features a selection of narrative and documentary films crafted by innovative and talented filmmakers, offering a glimpse into diverse perspectives and creative visions.  Join us as we build anticipation for the upcoming festival in November and go Beyond the Festival.

The Body Politic | USA | Documentary | 90 min

Directed by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough

THE BODY POLITIC follows Baltimore’s idealistic young mayor into office where he puts his personal and political future on the line to save his city from chronic violence.

Like many areas in the United States, the City of Baltimore has been plagued by gun violence. Amid the George Floyd uprising, Brandon Scott, a young reform-minded leader, is elected mayor. With unfettered access, we follow him into office and throughout his first year in city hall. Brandon, who grew up in one of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods, sets out with unyielding idealism to change the course of his beloved city by introducing an ambitious new plan for violence reduction and police reform that he is confident will lower the city’s murder rate. After entering office and barely getting a chance to enact his first safety reforms, violence surges to new highs. As the media & political foes attack his holistic plan, he remains committed to his principles even as it puts his future as a politician in jeopardy. Cameras continue to follow Brandon to see if his plan will work and lead to healing in Baltimore and maybe even reveal a path forward for the nation.