By Amanda Gilmore
This emotional Documentary follows a group of women on a criminal justice crusade in Texas. The group filed a groundbreaking federal class-action lawsuit, the first to argue that sexual assault isn’t prosecuted because it’s a crime that predominantly affects women. The group is determined to hold police and prosecutors accountable for their inaction, but their resilience is tested as they face setbacks from the system they hope to change.
The heartbeat of An Army of Women is the subjects themselves. Their passion and determination are inspiring and symbolize unwavering hope and resilience for all survivors. Director Julie Lunde Lillesæter allows the women to tell their harrowing stories without judgment. Their honest, distressing experiences are singular from each other allowing audiences a deeper understanding of the lasting effects of trauma and the justice system set against them.
The crusade these women go on brings audiences into a corrupt judicial system that allowed sexual assaulters and rapists to go unpunished. The substantial evidence that these women had against their attackers should’ve resulted in charges. However, the police and prosecutors acted to protect the accused.
An Army of Women is a thought-provoking important documentary that should be seen.
An Army of Women screens at SXSW ’24:
Mar 8 at 2PM at ZACH Theatre
Mar 12 at 2:45PM at Rollins Theatre at The Long Center
Mar 15 at 6PM at Satellite Venue: AFS Cinema
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