Educational Media Reviews Online

Free CeCe! relates the story of CeCe McDonald, a Black trans woman imprisoned following the death of a white man, whose story subsequently drew widespread support from activists worldwide. The beginning of the film often seems like an episode of NBC’s Dateline, with actress Laverne Cox in the role of the host, interviewing CeCe, her lawyers, and the prosecuting attorney.

But unlike a true crime show, the film is rooted not in offering a criminal justice story as entertainment, but rather in examining the ways in which CeCe’s experience is rooted in racism and transphobia. As a result, it has the potential to bring those concepts to viewers in the familiar context of a criminal investigation, offering a frame for understanding phenomena that many find difficult to understand.

Furthermore, the bulk of the film (about two thirds) is not about CeCe’s case itself, but rather about her life after her incarceration and her response to her experiences. In so doing, it offers a valuable, possibly unique perspective on how the state reproduces and increases inequality, and the many ways in which systems of discrimination and prejudice, as well as inhumane prison practices such as solitary confinement, can permanently affect individuals.

Free CeCe! is by turns depressing, angering, frustrating, and awe-inspiring, and like CeCe herself is ultimately hopeful. It is recommended for high school, college, and public libraries.

Awards

• Audience Award, Feature Documentary, Blackstar Film Festival