A film is set to hit theaters featuring the story of Anita Hill, the woman who accused then Supreme Court judge nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment.
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Freida Mock, the film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival to sold out screenings.
The trailer opens with the question, "Who here knows about Anita Hill?" The woman asking the question to a room full of young black girls is met with blank stares. However, on March 21st when the documentary hits theaters, more people will definitely know Ms. Hill's story.
Hill's testimony during the 1991 Senate hearings set off a firestorm of debates around race and sexism. President George Bush, Sr. nominated Thomas to the Supreme Court to replace Thurgood Marshall on the bench. During that time, Anita Hill's testimony to the FBI about sexual harassment she said she experienced while working with Thomas leaked to the press, calling for a series of hearings to investigate Thomas' character. However, many observers and critics have said that it seemed the one who was being investigated and "vilified" was Anita Hill.
Some of the accusations included, "leaving pubes on his soda cans just so he could ask about it aloud" and "chats about bestiality and his penis' nickname, among other things," as summarized by Jezebel.
In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Hill says she doesn't regret testifying.
In 1991, when I was called to testify — I was actually subpoenaed — I set myself a goal to truthfully talk about the experience I had with Clarence Thomas because I thought, and I still think, that it reflected on his ability to be an impartial judge in any case involving the law, but certainly any case involving civil rights, inequality issues. Having done that, yes, it was worth it. I have no regrets.
Hill is currently a professor of social policy, law and women's studies at Brandeis University's Heller School of Social Policy and Management. She's also an author and speaker.