As Political Rhetoric Divides Country, Filmmaker Offers Antidote
HOUSTON, December 9, 2020 (Newswire.com) - Producer and Director Nicola Bullock recently released her first film, Blind Justice, a sci-fi drama centered around racial injustice in America. Although the topic dominated headlines this year, many - including Bullock - are concerned about how divided our country is today. The 2020 Presidential election appears to have only widened the deep divide of opposing views in the U.S., but Bullock believes her controversial short film holds the answer to bridging that gap.
Blind Justice tells the story of a tech company that develops an Augmented Reality (AR) device as a means to curb implicit bias among law enforcement. The film stirs the audience to imagine walking a mile in someone else's shoes by taking this polarizing issue and communicating it in a way that makes it relatable and understandable, no matter what side of the aisle one stands on.
The 15-minute short can now be viewed on its website and Bullock encourages people to invite their friends and family to watch it together - especially with those who profess both Blue Lives and All Lives Matter. A list of starter questions are even provided to help guide discussions. "Many people avoid talking about this subject for fear of conflict," she shared. "This film offers a safe space to start having honest conversations; where we stop blaming others and look within to see how we can be a part of the solution."
In today's climate, where demonstrating ugliness and hatred runs rampant, Bullock observes how such behaviors often have an opposite effect. "It's a double-edged sword," she says. "It not only makes you look bad, but makes your opponent rise higher - much like stacking weights on one side of a balance scale.
"Two notable examples of this phenomenon are circulating in the news right now," Bullock mused as she noted the uptick of news stories on President Obama and Princess Diana - due to the release of the former President's new memoir and also the latest season of the Netflix series The Crown, featuring the Princess. "What strikes me is this clear parallel between these two very public figures - how the ugliness and disdain shown towards them from one group seemed to only grow the love shown to them by the rest of the world."
Meanwhile, the love-hate dynamic swirling around the current President is leaving its mark on the country and Bullock wonders what it would take for people to stop buying into rhetoric that divides them. She recently posed that question to her father, a retired U.S. veteran, and anticipated a response steeped in scandalous scenarios but, to her surprise, his answer didn't involve political figures at all. What her father said was, "Only when they face their own biases will things change." That response resonated deeply with her. That was, after all, what she hoped people would be inspired to do after watching Blind Justice - to reflect on, and perhaps adjust, any of their own beliefs and behaviors that affect their sphere of influence.
"We see time and time again how this type of division backfires in the long run," says Bullock, who hopes the film will inspire people to stop fostering it. "The real antidote to fear and hatred is in recognizing our shared humanity. We have to stop creating unnecessary problems that divide us. Wasted effort is spent on the imaginary beliefs we put on our insignificant differences, when we could instead be focusing on the fact that we are all human."
About Blind Justice
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Blind Justice, LLC produces impact-driven films and public service campaigns to accelerate better social paradigms around race and injustice. The production company also partners with philanthropic companies, individuals and non-profit organizations to create media for their cause and brand.
For more information, go to blindjusticefilm.com or follow them @BlindJusticeFilm on Facebook and Instagram.
Source: Blind Justice, LLC.