Alfre Woodard and Alex Castillo appear in Clemencyby Chinonye Chokwu, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Courtsey of Sundance Institute | photo by Eric Branco
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2019 Spotlight | feature narrative | 113 min
2019 | English | USA
In the wake of a botched execution under her watch, prison warden Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard) finds herself questioning her position, her home life, and the ethical consequences of the work she oversees. The arrival of the newest death row inmate, Anthony Woods (Aldis Hodge, HIFF 2019 Breakthrough Artist), along with the lawyer, relatives, and protestors fighting for his release, further complicates the increasingly undeniable truth—that under her professional, strong-willed demeanor, she is quickly approaching a breaking point. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, writer-director Chinonye Chukwu’s CLEMENCY is a thought-provoking look at the psychological effects of capital punishment, anchored by Woodard’s career-best performance at its center.