The Witness (2016 film)
| The Witness | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | James D. Solomon |
| Produced by |
|
| Written by |
|
| Music by | Nathan Halpern |
| Cinematography | Trish Govoni |
| Edited by | Gabriel Rhodes Russell Greene |
| Distributed by | FilmRise |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Witness is a 2015 American documentary by director James D. Solomon as his directorial debut. The film was Produced by Solomon, Executive Produced by William Genovese and Co-Produced by Melissa Jacobson. It is narrated by Genovese which investigates the killing of his sister, Catherine Susan "Kitty" Genovese, in Kew Gardens, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, on March 13, 1964, by Winston Moseley.
Upon its release film received rave reviews from critics and was shortlisted with fourteen other documentaries from 145 entries submitted to the 89th Academy Awards in Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature category.
The name Kitty Genovese became synonymous with bystander apathy after The New York Times reported that 38 witnesses watched her being murdered — and did nothing to help. THE WITNESS follows her brother Bill's search for the truth. In the process, he unravels a myth that transformed his life, condemned a city, and defined an era. THE WITNESS debunks one of America's most chilling crime stories as a brother reclaims his sister's forgotten life from her infamous death.
The Witness was named One of the Best Films of 2016 by Richard Brody (The New Yorker) and David Edelstein (New York Magazine).
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% rating for top critics, and a 90% approval rating for all critics, based on 52 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Witness can't hope to truly untangle the true crime case at its center, but offers a series of fascinating - and troubling - insights in the attempt." On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 79 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Entertainment Weekly's, Joe McGovern also lauded the series saying, "The powerful thrust of the film comes from its critique of the media." Justin Chang of LA Times lauded the film and said, "The strength of The Witness lies in its recognition that the truth is often not just elusive but unattainable." Reviewing for RogerEbert.com film critic Matt Zoller Seitz wrote, "This is a powerful movie, but perhaps its greatest triumph is that for a brief time it resurrects Kitty Genovese, and lets us see her as a person" Farran Smith Nehme of New York Post explained, "Solomon and Genovese remind us that all witnesses can be unreliable, in one way or another. The emotional impact comes from the gentle way the film reveals Kitty Genovese as a loving, vibrant person, and not as a symbol. "
...
Wikipedia