- Welcome to POV .
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut .
If you've ever wondered why the voice of the Confederate Army
is still so prominent in America
despite having lost the Civil War, you're not alone.
Tonight's film, The Neutral Ground ,
asks that very question.
The Neutral Ground examines the challenges
encountered by those trying to remove Confederate statues
and flags in New Orleans and the struggles such efforts bring,
like death threats and finding crews willing to put themselves
in harm's way to remove said statues.
Director CJ Hunt's project started organically.
In 2015, he was living in New Orleans
and started filming city council meetings
as they decided to remove Confederate statues.
He continued shooting footage as the statues came down,
but just when he thought production was completed,
Charlottesville happened and George Floyd was murdered
by a police officer, launching the birth of a movement.
When introducing documentaries for POV ,
I often see similar backgrounds from directors: film school,
investigative journalism, or community activism.
But CJ Hunt's background is unique.
In addition to being a field producer for The Daily Show ,
Hunt is also a writer and comedian.
Balancing Hunt's flair for the comedic in his storytelling
is a father who taught critical race theory as a law professor.
As a filmmaker, a director's attention to detail is crucial.
And with that in mind, keep an eye out for one scene
in particular in the film where CJ and his father
discuss contemporary race relations over pancakes,
while Aunt Jemima makes an appearance as an ironic extra.
It's both smart and funny.
The Neutral Ground starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.