Public Defender
- 2024
- USA
- Duration:
- 48 mins
Overview
Heather Shaner, a feisty, blue-haired public defender in Washington, D.C., has spent 40 years representing people who can’t afford a lawyer. On Jan. 6, 2021, Shaner’s empathy hits a limit when a violent mob supporting outgoing President Donald Trump storms the Capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power to President-elect Joe Biden. She wants nothing to do with the alleged criminals until she gets a call from The Federal Defender’s office asking her to represent some of the rioters. Forced to reconcile her fear and anger with her belief in the right to a fair trial, Shaner accepts a caseload of nonviolent offenders and is surprised when her disdain for the rioters eases. Using humor and comic relief, Public Defender takes on America’s epidemic of division and misinformation, showing how to restore trust and accountability one conversation at a time.
Festival Screenings
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Colorado State Library Book Drive
Join the filmmakers in their impact campaign to collect gently used paperbacks to enhance the lives of incarcerated individuals, juveniles, veterans and others throughout the state. Bring your books to the screenings of PUBLIC DEFENDER or drop them off at Mountainfilm's hospitality center. Join us in turning pages into pathways!