Leona's Sister Gerri

Leona’s Sister Gerri is a 1995 American documentary film, produced and directed by Jane Gillooly. It was nationally broadcast on the PBS series POV, on November 2, 1995.[1]

Leona's Sister Gerri
Directed byJane Gillooly
Produced byJane Gillooly
CinematographyCharles Jevremovic, Jane Gillooly, Andrew Neumann
Edited byC.L. Monrose
Music byCaleb Sampson, John Kusiak
Distributed byNew Day Films
Release date
1995
Running time
57 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The film is centered on a photo of a woman dead on a motel room floor from an illegal abortion. The original photograph, derived from police files, has been reprinted frequently in the media[2] and by the pro-choice movement for use on placards at pro-choice demonstrations.[3]

This photograph had, until Gillooly's film was released, been anonymous. The film identifies the person in the photograph for the first time.[3] The woman was Geraldine Santoro. The first part of the film explores Gerri Santoro's life and the circumstances that led her to attempt an illegal abortion.[4] The second part of the film focuses on how the photograph has been used as an icon in the pro-choice movement.[5]

Production, premiere and usage

This story was brought to director Jane Gillooly’s attention by her friend Toni Elka, the niece of Geraldine "Gerri" Santoro (the subject of the film), and daughter of Leona Gordon (who is interviewed extensively in the film).[6] With Leona Gordon's permission, research for the film began in 1992.

The film premiered at “New Directors, New Films” at the Museum of Modern Art, New York and was nationally broadcast on PBS series P.O.V. in 1995.[7][8]

In 2001 The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) selected Leona's Sister, Gerri to showcase in "Shaking Up the Box: A Decade of ITVS".[9]

In 2007, AmDoc Presents (a PBS publication) chose Leona's Sister, Gerri to be included in their 20th anniversary POV DVD Collection, by including it as one of the best 20 films from previous years.[10]

Awards

Awards won by Leona's Sister Gerri include:[11]

References
  1. Briggs, Pamela Beere (April 1, 1996). "Documentary Magazine". Documentary Magazine.
  2. Van Hoover, Cheri (2008-09-10). "Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth; By The Boston Women's Health Book Collective. New York: Touchstone, 2008. 370 pages. $15, paperback". Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health. 53 (5): 477–478. doi:10.1016/j.jmwh.2008.06.003. ISSN 1526-9523.
  3. Maslin, Janet (1995-03-31). "FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW; The Woman Behind a Grisly Photo". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  4. Cheshire, Godfrey (1995-03-27). "Leona's Sister Gerri". Variety. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  5. "25 Years Later, 'Leona's Sister Gerri' Reminds Us Of The Complexity Storytelling Brings To The Abortion Debate". www.wbur.org. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  6. "P.O.V.'s Interactive Experiment". International Documentary Association. 1996-04-01. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  7. POV, Leona's Sister Gerri | POV | PBS, retrieved 2022-05-04
  8. "Leona's Sister Gerri". PBS SoCal. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  9. "Test Tube". The Village Voice. 2001-07-03. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  10. McGee, Clive (2015-11-18). "Special 20th Anniversary Collection 2015". Waikato Journal of Education. 20 (3). doi:10.15663/wje.v20i3.218. ISSN 2382-0373.
  11. "Leona's Sister Gerri". Independent Television Service. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
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