Free Joan Little
Free Joan Little tells the story of the 1975 groundbreaking case of Joan Little, who was the first woman in U.S. history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault. At 20 years old, Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann) Little was incarcerated in North Carolina when she killed a white jailer she said tried to rape her. Her trial drew international attention, becoming a rallying point for civil rights, women’s rights and prison reform. The case brought together activists, including Angela Davis and Rosa Parks, and catalyzed an international conversation about sexual assault and racial justice that has reverberations to this day. With rare archival footage, contemporary interviews and the folk anthem that carried her cause, Free Joan Little captures the spirit of resistance that made history. The film features Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple) as the voice of Joan.
Screenings
Virtual
Directors Spotlight
Yoruba Richen
Director
Yoruba Richen is a Peabody award-winning documentary filmmaker who was awarded the Trailblazer award by Black Public Media. Her work has been featured on multiple outlets, including Netflix, MSNBC, Peacock, HBO and PBS. Yoruba is a past Guggenheim and Fulbright fellow and is the Founding Director of the Documentary Program Newmark J-School at CUNY.
- Year
- 2025
- Runtime
- 35 minutes
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Director
- Yoruba Richen
- Producers
- Christalyn Hampton, Bonnie Bertram
- Executive Producer
- Kyra Danton
- Cast
- Karen Bethea-Shields, Angela Davis, Christina Greene, Larry Little, Danielle Brooks
- Cinematographer
- Keith Walker
- Editor
- Hannah Vanderlan
- Animator
- Peter Mishara
- Composer
- Reggie Dokes
- Premiere
- Philadelphia