Black Women are getting “Locked Out”

Locked Out, a Detroit-based documentary following Black women as they battle evictions, predatory lending, and modern-day redlining in America’s most segregated city, is set to screen at the 27th annual American Black Film Festival in Miami. Produced by Saville Productions and directed by Oscar Nominee Kate Davis and Luchina Fisher, Locked Out intimately captures the impact of housing injustice while exposing the systems that prevent positive change.

“It’s easy to talk about the importance of equitable housing, but what’s too often missing from the conversation is the actual experiences of those on the ground,” said co-director Luchina Fisher, who received a 2022 GLAAD Media Award nomination for her feature debut Mama Gloria. “It’s eye-opening to see up close how our current system keeps mostly Black residents locked out of building wealth in America, but it was also stunning to witness the work Black women are putting in to save their communities.”

The documentary, which combines vérité filmmaking and archival footage, features longtime Detroit residents Soummer Crawford and Geraldine Smith-Bey, as well as experts from the University of Michigan, the United Community Housing Coalition, Ohio State University, and more. The film also spotlights those behind Detroit’s devastating use of land contracts.

Locked Out premiered in April at Detroit’s Freep Film Festival, where it received the Shine a Light Award for its heroic portrayal of the women on the front lines of the fair housing battle. After the American Black Film Festival, the documentary will head to the Newark Black Film Festival, Woods Hole Film Festival, and San Francisco Doc Fest to drum up nationwide support for the issue.

“I had read about the racial gap in homeownership across the country, but going to Detroit and embedding with vibrant Black female housing activists and women facing eviction was both dramatic to behold and traumatic for those we filmed,” said co-director Kate Davis, who received an Academy Award nomination for her film Traffic Stop and the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance for her landmark documentary Southern Comfort.

Tickets to the AABF screening of Locked Out are available at www.abff.com/miami/festival-passes/. The film will screen virtually between June 19th – 25th.

Locked Out was produced by LA-based production company Saville Productions. To learn more about the documentary, head to www.lockedoutfilm.com and follow the film on Instagram @lockedout_film.

About Saville Productions

Saville Productions, founded by Rupert Maconick, is an established entertainment company that has produced hundreds of projects for big brands with high-profile filmmakers, including Martin Campbell (Casino Royale), Barry Levinson (Rain Man), Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man), and many others. Saville produced the feature-length documentary, “5B” directed by Academy Award nominee Dan Krauss. Saville also produced the Werner Herzog documentary “Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World”, which premiered at Sundance.

About ABFF

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC, an entertainment company specializing in the production of live events and platforms that celebrate Black culture and achievement. The ABFF, the company’s flagship event, is dedicated to recognizing Black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the Black entertainment community by fostering resource sharing, education, and artistic collaboration. Now in its 27th year, the festival has become a key proponent of diversity in Hollywood, providing a platform for emerging Black artists.