Belly of the Beast | |
---|---|
Directed by | Erika Cohn |
Music by | Omar Fadel |
Release date |
|
Running time | 82 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Belly of the Beast is a 2020 documentary film by Erika Cohn about the illegal sterilization practices in the Central California Women’s Facility and other female penitentiaries. Made over a period of seven years, the 82-minute movie documents the fight of one inmate (Kelli Dillon) and her lawyer against the Department of Corrections. [2] [3]
Their investigations inside prison, with assistance from outside allies, uncover statewide criminal practices ranging from poor healthcare, sexual abuse and assault, coercive sterilizations, and the targeting of women of color. [4]
The film was supported by the Tribeca Film Institute through the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund (2015), the TFI Network (2017), and the TFI Pond5 Program (Spring 2019). [5] 20% of proceeds from the film went to support the Women and Justice Project. [6]
This section needs expansion. You can help by
adding to it. (November 2022) |
It was the Opening Night Film at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival in 2020 [7] and was named a New York Times Critic's Pick. [8] The Washington Post listed the film as "a movie to stream" in October 2020. [9] It was in the American Library Association's 2022 list of Notable Films for Adults. [10] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an aggregated score of 100% based on 17 critic reviews. [11]