Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland

Not since "The Thin Blue Line" by Errol Morris have I seen a documentary as insightful and devastating as "Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland." Interviews of family, friends, and law enforcement present a Rashomon range of opinions. Video from the arresting officer's body cam and dash cam document his meltdown in the face of a strong, calm woman.

Though we know the conclusion of this tragedy, it doesn't detract interest from the family's search to disclose the probable cause of Ms. Bland's death. Recollections of her bright personality and community engagement make us feel her absence more keenly.

Directors Kate Davis and David Hellbroner masterfully present details in a clear, logical manner. Conflicting information is laid out for the viewer to consider, though the injustice is obvious. The documentary displays another simple traffic stop resulting in the death of an unarmed Black person in police custody, told unflinchingly.

I'd like to send my condolences to the family and friends of Sandra Bland. I pray the so called officer has been removed from his job and is locked up for the battery. And I pray that someone is being held responsible for Ms. Bland's life.

Interesting documentary but after watching this all I could think was that the family just couldn't accept the fact that their daughter committed suicide. Suicide has such a negative stigma that family members just don't want to accept as reality. Even after an independent autopsy they still refused to accept reality and needed someone to sue to be compensated.

The traffic stop escalated very quickly and never should have never ended that way. But to accuse the police and jail employees of a huge conspiracy to kill Sandra because she was a huge successful "activist" is just absurd. To think she was Epsteined before Epstein is irrational, illogical and plain comical.

If it wasn't for the ludicrous conspiracy theory this documentary would have been far better.

Really insightful. This doc is asking all the right questions of Americans and our institutions. I found it interesting that Sandra's messages resonate so well with people across races. Her voice calls for friendship across racial divides and a better understanding of each other (as she put it, more black people need white friends and more white people need black friends). I did not find her words or this documentary's purpose was to "incite" but rather to "unite", as she says so eloquently in her online videos prior to her death. I also thought it gave an accurate depiction of the law enforcement involved and did unfairly portray them. We are called to stop and think when we see the video of the police officer removing her from her vehicle, the escalating situation, and her senseless death. Sandra Bland's death is still surrounded in mystery, but she will not be forgotten. I think the title of the film resonates will all humans. If I had known Sandy, I'd like to think we would have been friends.

Kate Davis and David Heilbroner allowed us to show this magnificent documentary at the DOC WEEK Film Festival at the Martha's Vineyard Film Center in August 2018.

Kate's direction brilliantly incorporates Sandra Bland's video messages, placing them purposefully as bookends for the entire 100-minute documentary as well as scattered within the narrative of the film. Beautifully paced and elegantly edited, Sandra's story is revealed as a combination of mystery and biography.

You'll be thinking about this one for a long time after. In the future, every time you see a protest about police brutality, wrongful death or racial tensions in America, you mind will come back to this one.