UNSPOKEN

UNSPOKEN explores the racial divide in America, through the experiences of one small southern town. Monroe, Georgia resident and filmmaker Stephanie Calabrese offers an insider's perspective and an intimate journey that digs deep into the roots of this divide entrenched by the 1946 Moores Ford Lynching, the last mass lynching in the U.S., and its ongoing impact on the community. The film uncovers buried truths and sheds light on the secrecy that still surrounds this tragic event and the continued pursuit of justice, as well as the ongoing impact of segregation and the integration of schools and society in Monroe, Georgia.

Featuring interviews with fellow residents and extensive research, UNSPOKEN offers a nuanced and complex understanding of the historical factors that contextualize racial divides across the country, as well as contemporary challenges, such as the wanton denial of histories, that continue to make substantive reconciliation difficult to achieve. Through her research and the town's collective memory, Calabrese explores how Monroe's community has been shaped by its racial divide for generations through the lens of her own whiteness. This thoughtful examination of the ways that history continues to reverberate throughout society, including pervasive contemporary segregation, shatters a code of silence that has distanced neighbor from neighbor for generations. 

By bringing these issues to the surface, UNSPOKEN aims to inspire dialog focused on race relations, divisions, and opportunities for reconciliation in hometowns across America.

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FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT: "I created this film because racial bias and injustice still exist today, and I believe that a deeper understanding of our past can offer clues to help solve our problems in the present. I decided to focus my lens on the racial divide in my hometown because I did not know, and could not find this history. I care deeply about my community. Many of the people in Monroe, Georgia impacted by the Moore's Ford Lynching, segregation, and the integration of schools and our community are still with us. Documenting their stories, and connecting the dots through research to portray an accurate and honest reflection of who we are and where we've been helped me better understand how we got here and why. With this historical context, we can be better community members, and work together to untangle and solve problems we still face today. I hope this film will move hearts, open minds, and light a flame for change in you and your own community."