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Movies like Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It and Do the Right Thing were opening my eyes to the innovation happening in the craft, the shifting ways in which stories were being told, and to the power of the medium as a way for filmmakers to unapologetically challenge us, to turn our notions about sexuality or race, or myriad other issues, on their head. "And in the non-fiction realm, storytelling was evolving as well. Documentaries like Brother's Keeper about an alleged fratricide, a mercy killing in the hollers of upstate New York, showed me how narrative non-fiction could reveal so much about our humanity, about rural life vs. urban, and how our justice system is often too blunt a tool for life's complex situations." This film in particular "opened my eyes to how exciting the nonfiction form could be to bring you into people's lives and wrestle with much larger issues." These were early days for POV. Chris assesses the reason for its emergence: There was "a clear lack of, and need for, independent voices in the broadcast landscape, stories you wouldn't find in mainstream media. Content that shone a light on diverse and marginalized communities, made by filmmakers from those communities. Cinematic and intimate films that introduced us to unforgettable characters, challenging the status quo and speaking truth to power. And ground-breaking work in terms of structure and approach, showcasing the innovative and singular visions of masterful directors, artists who were breaking the mold." • "Films like Tongues Untied by Marlon Riggs about Black gay identity sought, in Marlon's own words, 'to shatter the nation's brutalizing silence on matters of sexual and racial difference.'" • Michael Moore's first film Roger and Me, about what happened in Flint, Michigan, after General Motors closed its factories and moved them to Mexico, where workers were paid lower wages. • Silverlake Life about a gay couple navigating life and death, during the AIDS crisis. • And in Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision, a 21-year-old college student finds herself thrust into the national spotlight when her concept is chosen for the design of the Vietnam War Memorial. As an Asian American, she withstands bitter attacks because of her race, but holds her ground with clarity and grace, and vision." (Editor's note: Maya Lin is a Class of 2017 Trevor alum parent and is the designer of the rooftop garden on Trevor's East Campus building.) "These are landmark films. Food Inc. changed the way millions of Chris (wearing the striped shirt) creating claymation figures with his classmates Chad Auchincloss '82 (sitting closest) and Nick Rockwell '82 (with glasses) 40 / TREVOR MAGAZINE WINTER 2022–2023 40 / TREVOR MAGAZINE WINTER 2022–2023

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