CAAM is proud to co-present Defender, a new film by Jim Choi and Jeff Adachi. The film premieres at the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) on April 15 at the Castro Theatre.
Defender tells the story of San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi who takes on the case of 22-year old Michael Smith, an African American man who pleaded not guilty in one of the first body camera cases in San Francisco when he was charged with battery on police officers and resisting arrest. This urgent documentary shows how far Adachi and his team will fight for the young man’s freedom while exposing racial bias through all levels of the judicial system. The film also underscores the Public Defender‘s fight to provide legal representation for detained immigrants facing deportation in the current political era.
Defender, a feature length documentary, is an expanded version of the short film The Ride, which screened as a preview at CAAMFest in March. Adachi was voted in as Public Defender in SF in 2001 and was previously Deputy Public Defender. Adachi’s films have screened at CAAM and CAAMFest over the years, including works such as The Slanted Screen (2006), You Don’t Know Jack: The Jack Soo Story (2009) and America Needs a Racial Facial (2016).
Consulting producers of Defender include CAAM’s Executive Director Stephen Gong and CAAM’s Director of Programs Donald Young. Other CAAM alumni who are key crew members on this new feature include Jim Choi (co-director, DP), Chihiro Wimbush (editor) and Corey Tong (consulting producer).
The screening is free. Advanced tickets required – register here.
