
ABOUT
THE BODY POLITIC is a harbinger of hope in a country plagued by gun violence. Brandon Scott is a young mayor who grew up during Baltimore’s most troubling years and sets out, with unyielding idealism, to change the course of his battered and beloved city. He is elected mayor amid nationwide unrest following the murder of George Floyd. With unfettered access, cameras follow Brandon throughout his first year in office as he introduces an ambitious plan for violence reduction and police reform that he promises will lower the city’s murder rate. Pundits claim Brandon’s political health and the city’s health are tied to the number 348 – the total murders Baltimore had the previous year, more homicides than NYC, a city 15 times its size. After entering office and barely getting a chance to enact his first safety reforms, violence surges to new highs. As the media and political foes attack his holistic approach, his commitment to his plan and principles puts his political future in jeopardy. Will his holistic approach lead to healing and serve as a blueprint for the rest of the nation?
This film is the story of my home, the city where I was born and where I proudly continue to live. As a third-generation city resident and the grandson of working-class immigrants, I see the ghosts of my grandparents in Baltimore’s thousands of crumbling rowhouses. When I finished college, I returned to Baltimore and made one of these abandoned houses my home. Although the home lacked running water and a kitchen, I was proud. I was the first person in my family to own a home. Each rotten beam I removed, and coat of paint I applied made me feel as if I was helping to mend the soul of the city and quiet the ghosts of my grandparents. It’s been more than twenty-five years since I revived my little rowhouse. Throughout this time, the challenges of violence, poverty, and the malignant effects of structural racism have persisted. I am making this documentary to better understand how and why these challenges continue and to reveal possible pathways toward change. My dream is here in Baltimore, making this film and bearing witness to the fight to heal my hometown, and uncovering avenues for healing for our nation.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
FILM TEAM
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GABRIEL FRANCIS PAZ GOODENOUGH
Director | Producer -
DAWNE LANGFORD
Producer -
JOHN BENAM
Producer | Cinematographer