Resisting is a powerful documentary by Emmy Award-winning director donnie l. betts, exploring the crisis of police violence in America. With a focus on systemic failures and the impact on Black and Indigenous communities, the film investigates policing policies, police unions, and cases of excessive force, particularly in Aurora, Colorado, and other major cities like Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas.
The documentary blends firsthand accounts, investigative reporting, and expert analysis, featuring interviews with affected families, activists, and law enforcement officials. It highlights key cases, including those of Michael Marshall, Alexis Mendez Perez, Alexander Landau, Montye Benjamin, and Anita Wills, while also showcasing alternative policing solutions like Denver’s STAR program and CAHOOTS in Eugene.
Using a mix of courtroom footage, protest clips, body cam recordings, animation, and historical content, Resisting aims to connect patterns of police violence across different cities and advocate for justice and reform. More than just a film, it serves as a call to action for accountability in policing.
donnie l. betts is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, theater director, producer, and podcast host dedicated to storytelling that amplifies social justice and Black history. His documentary Music Is My Life, Politics My Mistress: The Story of Oscar Brown Jr. won eleven Best Film or Audience Choice awards and aired on PBS Plus stations. His film Dearfield: The Road Less Traveled was Emmy-nominated, and My Voice, featuring hip-hop activist Jeff Campbell, won him an Emmy. He has performed on Broadway in The Gospel at Colonus and starred in productions like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. As a director, he has led over 25 productions, including The Mountaintop, which earned him a Henry Award for Best Director. A co-founder of City Stage Ensemble and Denver Black Arts Company, betts has also worked in television, contributing to BET’s Starz in Black and earning Denver’s Radio Journalist of the Year in 2002.
betts is a producer on the award-winning film The Holly, which examines police corruption. His award-winning radio drama series Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days The untold stories of Black people yesterday, today and tomorrow, available on the Broadway Podcast Network, tells the untold stories of Black heroes. A frequent juror and panelist at festivals like SXSW, he continues to create impactful work through No Credits Productions, LLC. His latest project, Resisting, investigates police brutality across U.S. cities, blending investigative journalism, personal stories, and systemic analysis. A Yale School of Drama alum, betts remains committed to using film, theater, and radio to drive social change.
betts has assembled a powerhouse team to bring Resisting to life. He is joined by Tamara Banks, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker dedicated to social justice. Banks has reported for PBS, CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, and NPR, covering global human rights issues from Darfur to police brutality in the U.S. As the host of From Moment to Movement, she amplifies Black voices and drives systemic change. She also serves as the executive producer of Runnin’ with My Girls, a documentary highlighting women of color in politics.
Also on the team is Britta Erickson, a seasoned producer and partner at Denver-based Listen Productions. Erickson has a deep history in the film industry, having led Denver Film for over two decades, expanding its annual film festival and the renowned Film on the Rocks program. Her producing credits include The Holly (2022), Rolling Papers (2015), Actor Martinez (2016), and Convention (2009), with premieres at major festivals like SXSW.
