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Heartbreaking and Hopeful, the Documentary Film And So I Stayed Uplifts Survivors of Domestic Violence

And So I Stayed, a documentary film examining how the judicial system treats survivors of domestic violence, follows the compelling stories of three women who traded one prison for another. On Sunday, October 24 at 3:00 p.m., the Appalachian Theatre will host an exclusive online screening followed by a conversation with the filmmakers, Daniel A. Nelson and Natalie Pattillo, who will discuss their work and the filmmaking process.

Kim, Tanisha, and Nikki are three survivors of domestic violence whose strikingly similar stories are separated by over 30 years. None of them were believed, and each of them was criminalized for fighting back.  After suffering years of mental and physical abuse, they were incarcerated for killing their abusers based on the question asked by judges as well as society at large, “Why don’t they just leave?”

This film is made for and by survivors. “As a survivor and woman of color,” filmmaker Natalie Pattillo says, “I believe that our film can uplift survivors in a culture where they are disbelieved and villainized rather than protected. I believe it is my personal duty to not just make this film, but to make a searing, indelible impact on everyone who engages with it.”

Natalie Pattillo (Co-Director/Producer/Writer) is a New York-based multimedia journalist whose bylines include the New York Times, MSNBC, VICE, Jezebel, New York Magazine, Al Jazeera America, and Salon. She received a MA from Columbia University School of Journalism in 2017.

Daniel A. Nelson (Co-Director/Producer/Director of Photography) worked as a cinematographer and researcher on Oscar-nominated director David France’s feature-length documentary The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. Nelson received his MA from the prestigious  Columbia University School of Journalism in documentary filmmaking program in 2016.

This film is being shown in partnership with OASIS during Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). DVAM is an opportunity for survivors, service providers, and the whole community to join in an effort to end domestic violence. To learn about what is happening in our community during DVAM, visit www.oasisinc.org or follow OASIS on Instagram or Facebook at @OASISHighCountry. 

And So I Stayed will be presented online and tickets to the screening and includes a conversation with the filmmakers following the film. Tickets are free and available at www.apptheatre.org.

Content warning: This film focuses on intimate partner violence and may contain scenes or discussions that can be challenging or triggering. The local service provider for survivors of intimate partner violence, OASIS, Inc., can be reached 24/7 at 828-262-5035.

This event is part of the Appalachian Theatre’s BOONE DOCS series and made possible through the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, a South Arts program. Since its inception in 1975, Southern Circuit has brought some of best independent filmmakers and their films from around the country to communities throughout the South. The program is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.  For more information on this event, or to join the theatre’s eblast list, get tickets, or purchase memberships, please visit the ATHC website at www.apptheatre.org.