AFI Dallas International Film Festival - ‘Tulia, Texas’

(USA, 2007, 57 mins)

Directed By: Kelly Whalen, Cassandra Herrman

In Tulia, Texas, an undercover drug sting led to the arrest of 46 people, 39 of whom were African-American. The convicted were given maximum sentences, yet blatant discrepancies and the veracity of the undercover officer’s testimony that led to their convictions went largely unanswered.

What happened in Tulia was regarded as such a travesty of justice that it garnered national attention. Did this small town simply act in its own best interest or was it targeting the black residents? Was it a “by the book” operation or a means to cash in on federal grants? From the falsely accused and the lawyer who aided in their exoneration to the community at large and even the undercover officer, everyone gets their share of camera time.

Directors Cassandra Herrman and Kelly Whalen have delivered a balanced, thought-provoking, powerful documentary. Tulia, TX takes us on a journey that shocks and outrages, but also manages to offer up a glimmer of hope.

Information from the AFI website