17 BLOCKS
A film by Davy Rothbart
2021, 96 minutes
2021, 96 minutes
No. 335
Documentary
Documentary
Description
In 1999, filmmaker Davy Rothbart met Emmanuel Sanford-Durant and his older brother, Smurf, during a pickup basketball game in Southeast Washington, D.C. Davy began filming their lives, and soon the two brothers and other family members began to use the camera themselves. Spanning 20 years, this story illuminates a national, ongoing crisis through one family's raw, stirring and deeply personal saga.
Festivals
Winner, Best Editing, Tribeca Film Festival
Winner, Audience Choice, Nashville Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Best Editing, Woodstock Film Festival
Reviews
“Unshakable!” — The New York Times
“A singular achievement in documentary filmmaking... Remarkable... intimate and uncompromising... 17 Blocks is the result of the Sanford family’s profound act of bravery.” — Variety
“A remarkably raw and heartfelt piece of filmmaking... 17 Blocks reminded me of the deep humanism of Steve James’ work.”
— RogerEbert.com
