We’ve been watching and re-watching Gideon’s Army, a 2013 award-winning documentary about public defenders in the south, for inspiration for a project we’re doing with the American Constitution Society. The story we’re working on is primarily about judicial elections, but it also touches on the criminal justice system more broadly.
Gideon’s Army is not the most beautiful film to look at — most of the footage is in offices and courtrooms — but what makes it compelling is the subjects of the film and the overwhelming challenges they face everyday.
Travis, Brandy, and June, the three public defenders featured in the film, bring us into world we otherwise would not get to see. There are a few storytelling elements that come together nicely for this to be able to happen: the filmmakers follow the subjects through their daily lives so the audience can watch events as they unfold, and the characters themselves are incredibly open and honest with the camera about the people they’re representing and the flawed system they work in.
The film is currently streaming on Netflix and we highly recommend you check it out.