Director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering did it before with their film on rape in the military. Their Oscar-nominated film The Invisible War helped spark congressional action. Now they are bringing the issue of campus rape to the forefront with The Hunting Ground.
Two young activists featured in the documentary, Annie Clark and Andrea Pino, are both survivors of campus sexual assault. Instead of being quiet and not mentioning what happened to them, they decided to speak up and take action. They were both students at the University of North Caroline, but the problem is rampant on many college campuses. The film looks at why schools don’t prosecute or even pursue the vast majority of reported cases and how the women who report such crimes are treated by their universities.
An interview by The Wrap with Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering gives some background.
The Hunting Ground. received standing ovations at Sundance. The film recently opened in New York and Los Angeles, and will soon appear in Boston, Berkeley and Washington, D.C.
The film website has information on where to see the film and how you can take action. You can even host your own screening. Information on how to do that is on the website.
With enough media attention, colleges can be forced to make changes to protect women.