- Welcome to POV .
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut .
In tonight's film, we see
a passionate young human rights lawyer
fight state-sanctioned, systemic racism
to protect citizenship rights for all people
in Michele Stephenson's documentary Stateless .
In 1937, on the orders of dictator Rafael Trujillo,
the Dominican army massacred thousands of citizens
of Haitian descent in order to whiten the race.
If that kind of horrific tragedy sounds like a thing of the past,
fast forward to 2013
when the Dominican Republic's Supreme Court
stripped citizenship from over 200,000 people
of Haitian descent, leaving them without a homeland,
identity, or nationality.
Enter leading lady Rosa Iris, who despite death threats,
challenges electoral corruption in her country.
Running for Congress, Iris says she is determined to overcome
the limits the system has imposed upon her country.
Being of Panamanian and Haitian descent herself,
director Michele Stephenson has a visceral connection
to her story as well as to her leading lady.
Stephenson also has a background in international law,
but don't think for a second
that a director with a legal background
makes her any less of a purveyor of cinema.
Stephenson's previous film, American Promise ,
was nominated for three Emmys.
And for you serious film buffs, be on the lookout
for Stephenson's use of chiaroscuro,
an age-old lighting technique
that uses low and high-contrast lighting
for an added dramatic effect.
If you like old Hollywood noir films,
you've no doubt seen this style before.
The director says storytelling for her is a way
to share experiences in a way that allows us all to connect.
Sounds like a great idea.
Stateless starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.