Synopsis
The Unified Family Court in Tallahassee, Florida, specialises in judicial cases involving minors. It is the only court in the United States that deals with matters relating to children and parents. Families are summoned to this court when accused of abuse, abandonment or negligence of minors. The court's legal mission is to to reunite families as quickly and safely as possible. Courtroom 3H takes its inspiration from the words of James Baldwin: “If one really wants to know how justice is administered in a country, one goes to the unprotected and listens to their testimony.”
Bio/Filmo
Antonio Méndez Esparza (Madrid, 1976) graduated in law, studied filmmaking at UCLA and did an MA in filmmaking at Columbia University, before going on to teach film at Florida State University. His first short, Una y otra vez, was shortlisted for an Oscar and his debut feature, Aquí y allá (2012), won the Grand Prize at Critics' Week at Cannes. His second feature, Life and Nothing More (2017), was the first Spanish film to win the John Cassavetes Award at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards. After trying his hand at documentary, he is now adapting Juan José Millás' novel Que nadie duerma.
- Production company Aquí y Allí Films, 9AM Media Lab
- Producer Pedro Hernández
- Screenplay Antonio Méndez Esparza
- Photography Santiago Oviedo, Barbu Balasoiu
- Editing Santiago Oviedo
- Sound Luis Argüelles
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Festivals
- San Sebastian International Film Festival, Official Selection
- Tokyo International Film Festival, World Focus
- Black Nights Film Festival, Screen International Critics’ Choice
- Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, True Crime Section
- Mill Valley Film Festival, Official Selection