written by for Venus Rising Magazine
Sagittarius 07 Issue
Courtesy of Women Make MoviesDon't miss the national broadcast premiere of Sisters in Law, a captivating and often humorous documentary film about two brave women dispensing justice in Cameroon. Sisters in Law will air on the Emmy-Award winning PBS series, Independent Lens, November 27 at 10 pm on most PBS stations.
Winner of the Prix Art et Essai at the Cannes Film Festival, and screened at more than 120 festivals worldwide, Sisters in Law documents the bold work of two women in one small courthouse in Kumba, Cameroon. Tough-minded state prosecutor, Vera Ngassa, and court president, Beatrice Ntuba, are working to help women in their town find the courage to fight the often appalling cases of abuse despite pressures from family and their community to remain silent. With fierce compassion, they distribute wisdom, wisecracks, and justice in fair-measure—handing down stiff sentences to those convicted. Nathan Lee writes in his review published in The New York Times, "Patriarchal arrogance is knocked clean off their hapless mugs as the world's worst alibis crumble before the sisterly smackdown."
Co-directed by Kim Longinotto and Florence Ayisi, Sisters in Law presents a strong and positive view of African women and captures the emerging spirit of courage, hope, and the possibility of change. 
© 2008 Venus Rising Magazine