Genre: Feature Documentary
South Africa, 2007, (1 x 52′ / 1 x 72′)
Created by Ruth Cowan, Directed by Jane Lipman
Produced by Neil Brandt and Bridget Pickering
Status: completed and broadcast
From tyranny to democracy. Fourteen years after the defeat of apartheid, South Africa’s fledgling democracy is acclaimed for its constitutional promise of comprehensive human rights and unprecedented judicial reform. But what is essential for transformation to succeed?
COURTING JUSTICE profiles indomitable female judges charged with the task of guarding those rights and enacting transitional justice. Hailing from diverse backgrounds and entrusted with enormous responsibilities, these pioneering women share with candor and unexpected humor their stories of balancing the demands of their courts and country while caring for families and confronting the challenges of a male dominated institution.
This dynamic film is a hopeful testament to the success of a country tasked with building a new nation in the wake of unparalleled political upheaval. It stands as a thoughtful look at the transformation of an entire legal system, revealed through the intimate and inspiring stories of women working to change it from the bench.
“[B]eautifully filmed and produced, it is thoughtful and thought-provoking… [A] useful springboard for a more general discussion about…building sustainable justice. It is both informational and inspirational…” Tina Barsby University of Cape Town Foundation
“This film shows how to speak to the issue of ‘transformation’ – without getting preachy or falling into abstruse legalisms. “ J Brooks Spector, Sunday Independent
“[These] sisters on the Bench are in the process of achieving the dream of a transformed legal profession.” Adriaan Basson Mail & Guardian
Festivals:
- World premiere: Encounters International Documentary Festival http://www.encounters.co.za/films-sa.html South Africa – July 2008
- Durban International Film Festival, South Africa – July 2008
- Parliamentary Film Festival, Cape Town, November 2008
Additional Screenings:
- DAC Woman’s Day Celebrations, August, Maritzburg, Aug 2008
- New York Bar Association, New York – September 2008
- Harvard Law School, New York, October 2008