2023 BUSHWICK FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
Dr. Karen Baptiste has been part of the education system for years, and she’s decided to take a stand against the discrimination that occurs within each and every day. Something known as the Preschool to Prison Pipeline guarantees that many children who aren’t provided the right educational opportunities will eventually find their way to prison–and Dr. Baptiste is here to let the world know that it’s time to change.
Time and time again integral information is conveniently left out of films like Preschool to Prison. This film is absolutely part of the group of films that manipulate information in order to support their cause. I’m not saying that there isn’t any truth to the things being said, but this documentary feels like it is laid out in a way that allows the convenient truth to rise to the surface and those other bits of information that have the potential to dilute this argument sit firmly in the background. It’s important to be thorough not only in your research but in your reporting as well. Preschool to Prison isn’t thorough in certain aspects of this, and this hindered my ability to appreciate aspects of the film.
What a documentary often needs is a figurehead that can be understood, that can be looked at by viewers and be understood as being intelligent. Dr. Baptiste is that, and with that she becomes the key to Preschool to Prison. Sure, this is her film, and she ultimately is the thing that drives the film forward. However, with her being the literal face of the film she takes on a new role. She’s not just the expert, but she needs to be able to present herself in a way that viewers accept her (whether or not that’s fair). She assumes that role very nicely, and I don’t think she has to perform in order to come across this way (which makes her even more enjoyable). She’s powerful in her delivery, and she’s incredibly appealing to viewers; and this will allow those viewers to remain present throughout the course of Preschool to Prison.
I’m sure that Dr. Baptiste could have talked about this for hours, that Preschool to Prison could have been a feature-length documentary, but she reels the film in and presents viewers with a short film that is less than twenty minutes in length. This is a brilliant decision, as I think she would have lost viewers after too long. By being concise, Dr. Baptiste (who is also the director) allows for her viewers to remain focused from beginning to end.
I was torn when Preschool to Prison ended. Was I completely turned off by the series of left-out information, or was the fact that this was a wonderfully constructed documentary enough to warrant a positive review. The reality is that Preschool to Prison is well made, and that it will appeal to viewers. Dr. Baptiste ultimately constructs something enjoyable, engaging, and informative–which is almost all one can ask for in a documentary.
Directed by Dr. Karen Baptiste.
Starring Dr. Karen Baptiste, Tiffany Vulcain, Joseph Nohavicka, Kafele Baruti, Pia Johnson, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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