Traffic Stop

Traffic Stop is a 2017 short documentary film that descends into the universal problem of racial disparity in the American criminal justice system through the personal story of one particular incident. The documentary is directed by Kate Davis and is the Oscar-nominated project from HBO Documentary Films. It artistically encapsulates one black woman's encounter with a law enforcement officer. Spanning to a length of about 30 minutes, Traffic Stop manages to provoke profound reflection about race, education, and justice.

The story revolves around Breaion King, a 26-year-old African-American school teacher from Austin, Texas, with a Master's degree, no criminal record, who is pulled over for a routine traffic violation. The incident captured on police dashcam, the outcome of the traffic stop unexpectedly escalates into a moment of chaotic violence. The life-changing experiences and trauma that follow highlight social realities that go beyond the individual and become representative of systemic issues that face minority populations in the U.S.

Davis’s meticulous assembling of dash-cam footage, interviews, and everyday scenes are used as storytelling tools for exposing the soft-spoken King's horrifying ordeal. By juxtaposing the uneventful everyday routines of Breaion King and unedited dashboard camera footage, the film gives viewers a no-filter look at her life before and after the aforementioned incident.

The documentary captures how King's life takes an otherworldly turn as she endeavors to grapple with the reality of what happened. It documents her routines as an elementary school teacher, her dance classes, and her quiet moments of reflection at home, interspersed with footage of the incident and subsequent conversations. Throughout the film, we get glimpses of her resilience and determination to rise above the incident, to find justice, and to continue to nurture hopes and dreams for the future.

Aside from its intense focus on King's personal experience, Traffic Stop also unveils the societal consequences of police brutality and racial profiling. It deftly illuminates the broader implications of racial discrimination and the long-term effects of these interactions. Kate Davis incites us to grapple with the deeply etched racial biases on American society through the profound narrative of one woman’s personal journey. In Traffic Stop, Davis layered storytelling approach peels back the many components of America's racial disparity problem.

In its exploration of a singular event and its ripple effects, Traffic Stop delivers a punch that isn't confined to its thirty-minute running time. The film prompts viewers to reassess their thoughts on the pervasive issue of racial bias in American society. The dichotomy of King's profession as a school teacher who nurtures young minds and her dehumanizing treatment during the traffic stop is a stark reminder of the systemic racial problems that persist in our societies.

The documentary provides an illuminating, at times harrowing, opportunity to dive deep into an issue that continues to plague American society. The very nature of the footage shown in Traffic Stop rejects the notion of passive viewing, instead, it demands active engagement; it calls on viewers to question, assess, and reply in kind to the harsh realities of racial prejudice.

Davis’s Traffic Stop is bound to elicit powerful emotions. It exemplifies the essence of documentary filmmaking as a medium to champion social justice issues by magnifying personal experiences to illustrate systemic problems. The movie is a brave reflection of the reality of racial disparity experienced by African-Americans at the hands of the law enforcement agencies that are meant to serve and protect.

Consequently, Traffic Stop serves as a mirror held up to contemporary American society and a call to reevaluate and address these systemic racial biases. It's not just a recounting of a horrifying incident; it’s an invitation to contemplate, as it takes you on an intense journey through Breaion King’s life – both its mundane and traumatic aspects. From teaching in the classroom to dancing in the studio to surviving an assault during a traffic stop, Breaion King is resilient and inspiring. The movie appeals to the collective conscience of its audience, reminding them about the struggles faced by the African-American community and, it propels them to advocate for change.