About Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland (HBO)

'Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland' is a compelling HBO documentary released in 2018. The film explores the mysterious death of Sandra Bland, a politically active African-American woman who, after being arrested for a traffic violation in a small town in Texas, was found hanging in her jail cell three days later. The authoritative views ruled her death a suicide, a finding her family and supporters dispute. The movie highlights systemic racism and showcases Sandra's story with chilling insight and heartbreaking truth.

Making / Production

Directed by Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, the film brings to light the troubling events leading to Bland's incarceration and subsequent death while incorporating footage from her own video blogs discussing racial issues in America. The movie took two years to make and was executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Sheila Nevins.

Actors

• Sandra Bland - Self (archive footage). Bland plays herself through a series of video blogs which makes the narrative even more powerful and personal.
• Robert Blaine - Self. Robert portrays himself, contributing to the detailed recounting of what transpired with Sandra Bland.
• Geneva Reed-Veal - Self. She plays herself, the mother of Sandra Bland. In her role, she brings raw emotion and a much-needed personal perspective to the story.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film incorporated actual footage from Sandra Bland's own video blogs discussing racial issues in America, providing a unique perspective for the audience.
• The movie took two years to complete, demonstrating the level of detail and investigation put into the narrative.
• Oprah Winfrey and Sheila Nevins were executive producers of this project.

Awards

The film doesn't hold any specific awards, but its powerful narrative and compelling subject matter has been critically acclaimed since its debut on HBO.

Quotes

• “I'm here to change history. I am ready to do what I need to do for this next generation.” - Sandra Bland
• “If we want a change we can really, truly make it happen.” - Sandra Bland

Music and Soundtrack

• The film features a moving and immersive soundtrack by composer Joel Goodman that truly complements the powerful narrative of the film.