No Visible Trauma

2020 Canadian documentary film
  • September 18, 2020 (2020-09-18) (VIFF)
Running time
98 minutesCountryCanadaLanguageEnglish

No Visible Trauma is a 2020 Canadian documentary film, directed by Marc Serpa Francoeur and Robinder Uppal.[1] The film documents several allegations of abuse of power against the Calgary Police.[2]

Synopsis

It centres on the cases of Godfred Addai-Nyamekye, a person of colour who was involuntarily transported to the city limits and left to freeze in below-zero weather after a routine traffic stop, and was eventually tasered and beaten by the police officer who responded after Addai-Nyamekye called 911;[3] Daniel Haworth, a man who suffered a permanent brain injury when he was thrown to the ground by the same police officer who had tasered Addai-Nyamekye, eventually contributing to Haworth's subsequent death of a drug overdose;[4] and Anthony Heffernan, a man who died after being shot four times by police on an apparently routine wellness check.[5]

Critical reception

Now described the story telling as simple and direct and praised the documentary for avoiding stylistic drama and just telling the clear story of police abuse of power.[6]

Television edit

A shorter edit of the film, titled Above the Law, aired on CBC Television in July 2020 as an episode of CBC Docs POV,[7] prior to the full film's theatrical premiere at the 2020 Vancouver International Film Festival.[8] Above the Law received a nomination for the Donald Brittain Award at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Norman Wilner, "VIFF review: No Visible Trauma documents shocking abuses of police power in Calgary". The Georgia Straight, September 20, 2020.
  2. ^ Victoria Ahearn, "'These kind of issues are out here': New doc examines police violence in Calgary"[permanent dead link]. North Shore News, July 9, 2020.
  3. ^ Joel Dryden, "Six years after his violent arrest, Calgary man says he's still waiting for justice". CBC News Calgary, June 11, 2020.
  4. ^ Meghan Grant, "Victim was never the same after suffering brain injury at hands of Calgary officer, assault trial hears". CBC News Calgary, May 15, 2019.
  5. ^ Meghan Grant and Robson Fletcher, "Calgary officer who fatally shot Anthony Heffernan won't be charged". CBC News, August 22, 2016.
  6. ^ Wilner, Norman (2020-07-10). "CBC's Above The Law documents abuses of police power in Calgary". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  7. ^ Norman Wilner, "Review: CBC’s Above The Law documents shocking abuses of police power in Calgary". The Georgia Straight, July 10, 2020.
  8. ^ Lauren Malyk, "Loretta Todd’s Monkey Beach to open Vancouver Int’l Film Festival". Playback, September 3, 2020.
  9. ^ Brent Furdyk, "Television Nominees Announced For 2021 Canadian Screen Awards, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Leads The Pack With 21 Nominations". ET Canada, March 30, 2021.

External links

  • No Visible Trauma at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  • No Visible Trauma film website