X
- 2016
- 1 h 31 m
- 2016
- 1 h 31 m
Summary After being wrongfully convicted of gang-raping two little girls during the Satanic Panic witchhunt era of the 80s and 90s, four Latina lesbians fight against mythology, homophobia, and prosecutorial fervor in their struggle for exoneration in this riveting true crime tale.
Directed By: Deborah S. Esquenazi
- 2016
- 1 h 31 m
- 2016
- 1 h 31 m
Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four
67
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
tbd
Where to Watch
Summary After being wrongfully convicted of gang-raping two little girls during the Satanic Panic witchhunt era of the 80s and 90s, four Latina lesbians fight against mythology, homophobia, and prosecutorial fervor in their struggle for exoneration in this riveting true crime tale.
Directed By: Deborah S. Esquenazi
Where to Watch
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 7 Critic Reviews
67
71% Positive
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
29% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 7 Critic Reviews
67
71% Positive
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
29% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
That is what this film documents: racism, homophobia, misogyny, and exploitation of the working class. God bless Texas.
Southwest of Salem has an investigative questioning bent, but it is always clear in its attitudes about the four co-defendants. It is a powerful act of advocacy. It's hard to look at these events in any light other than that a terrible miscarriage of justice has taken place.
Though its chronological organization and issue management is rough around the edges, Esquenazi’s passionately argued film...easily convinces that the charges are impossible to believe.
"Southwest of Salem” proves a portrait of individual tragedy, and an indictment of a system willing to let prejudice cloud its judgment — and, also, to avoid admitting its own wrongdoing.
The perfect storm of homophobia, racism, and moral panic that sent the San Antonio four to prison is almost too much to cover in a ninety-minute documentary, but Esquenazi paints a tragic and humane portrait of the women who ended up in its center.
If it leaves something to be desired at the start of the tale, the procedural details of seeking release and exoneration are well represented.
"Southwest of Salem” proceeds with what have become sobering tropes for true-crime documentaries: a defendant saying she didn’t realize she needed a lawyer; outsiders explaining how they grew convinced of a miscarriage of justice.
User Reviews
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Production Company
Motto Pictures,
Naked Edge Films
Release Date Sep 16, 2016
Duration 1 h 31 m
Genres
Website
http://www.southwestofsalem.com/
Awards
Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Critics' Choice Documentary Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
GLAAD Media Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
