AIFF/Best of the Fests: BLACK VOICES, A Two-Film Screening Feb 12-28, 2021

17 Blocks (followed by Q&A)

Expired March 1, 2021 7:59 AM
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In 1999, nine-year-old Emmanuel Sanford-Durant and his Washington, D.C. family began to film their daily lives in America's most dangerous neighborhood — just 17 blocks behind the U.S. Capitol building. They've been filming ever since.


Made in a unique collaboration with filmmaker and journalist Davy Rothbart, the film focuses on four generations of the Sanford Family, including Emmanuel, a promising student, his brother Smurf, a local drug dealer, his sister Denice, an aspiring cop, and his mother Cheryl, who must conquer her own demons for her family to prosper.


Spanning two decades, 17 BLOCKS illuminates a nation's ongoing crisis through one family's raw, stirring, and deeply personal saga.


Stay tuned after the film for a Q&A with director Davy Rothbart and subjects Cheryl and Smurf Sanford.

  • Year
    2019
  • Runtime
    96 minutes
  • Language
    English
  • Country
    United States
  • Note
    Production: Beachside Films
  • Director
    Davy Rothbart
  • Screenwriter
    Davy Rothbart, Jennifer Tiexiera
  • Producer
    Alex Turtletaub, Michael B. Clark, Marc Turtletaub, Rachel Dengiz
  • Executive Producer
    Jennifer Tiexiera, Cheryl Sanford
  • Cast
    Emmanuel Durant, Akil "Smurf" Sanford, Cheryl Sanford, Justin Sanford, Denice Sanford-Durant
  • Cinematographer
    Zachary Shields
  • Editor
    Jennifer Tiexiera
  • Composer
    Nick Urata
  • Music
    Nick Urata