A Chilling Effect (2022) is an experimental documentary detailing the San Francisco Police Department’s illegitimate deployment of a private network of community cameras to surveil protestors of the George Floyd murder, while deliberately circumventing a recently enacted San Francisco ordinance banning their use of surveillance video technology. This short film investigates the subsequent lawsuit filed by three community activists, state sponsored surveillance, and its panoptic leanings towards “chilling” individuals from exercising their First and Fourth Amendment Rights. Runtime 20m. Directed by Ernie A. Calderón.
Runtime 20m. On loop every 20 minutes from September 20-October 1, 2022.
Ernie A. Calderón was born and raised in San Francisco's Mission District. His early work included working with at-risk youth, then progressed to a broader emphasis on child welfare and community organizing. His passion for documentary filmmaking draws him to social issues rooted within values of communal citizenry (or lack there of), locally and on a global scale, while also experiencing breaks of international travel as an English teacher and film researcher.
This event is held in conjunction with Frames Per Second, a rotating exhibition of exemplary films from the Social Documentation MFA Cohorts 2021 and 2022: Ruth Anne Beutler, Ernie A. Calderón, Jordan Freeman, Chisato Hughes, Lara Saab, Hoda Sobhani, and Oana Tenter.
Full schedule here.