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And So I Stayed cover image

And So I Stayed 2021

Highly Recommended

Distributed by Good Docs
Produced by Natalie Pattillo, Daniel A. Nelson, Julian Lim, and Julian Lim
Directed by Natalie Pattillo and Daniel A. Nelson
Streaming, 91 mins



College - General Adult
Criminal Justice; Domestic Violence; Women's Rights

Date Entered: 12/07/2023

Reviewed by Gisèle Tanasse, University of California Berkeley

The feature length documentary And So I Stayed closely examines the experiences of three domestic abuse survivors, incarcerated for long prison sentences after having defended themselves against their abusers. Despite seeking help from authorities and professionals, as well as documenting the abuse, these women were revictimized by the New York criminal justice system, which took no consideration of the abuse history in sentencing decisions. Filmmakers Natalie Pattillo and Daniel A. Nelson compellingly documented survivor-activist Kim DaDou Brown’s efforts to pass the New York Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) and ensure that the sentences of survivors Tanisha Davis and Nicole Addimando are lessened in light of the new Act. By infusing a variety of perspectives from survivors, family members, activists and psychologists, the filmmakers not only humanize survivors, but also bring nuance to dispel several common yet problematic beliefs and impressions about domestic violence survivors.

And So I Stayed frames the passage of New York’s DVSJA within the context of the continued need to advocate on behalf of domestic violence survivors and incarcerated people, noting both the discrepancy of sentencing for women who kill male partners (15 year average) vs. men who kill women partners (2-6 year average), as well as the challenges experienced by Kim DaDou Brown, a convicted felon, who despite two college degrees, delivers pizzas for a living. The film is highly recommended for women’s studies, incarceration studies, criminal justice courses, family law and for public library collections. It is a truly unique addition to a growing field of feature-length documentaries focused on the experiences of incarcerated women by women filmmakers.

Awards:
Spirit and Audience Award for Best Documentary, Brooklyn Film Festival; Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, St. Louis International Film Festival; Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, Monadnock International Film Festival; Systemic Change Award, SIMA Awards

Published and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Anyone can use these reviews, so long as they comply with the terms of the license.