November 4-6, 2011

Freeheld

Filmmaker: 
Cynthia Wade
38 minutes

After spending a lifetime fighting for justice for other people, Lieutenant Laurel Hester, a veteran New Jersey detective, launches a final battle for justice. After receiving a terminal diagnosis, all Laurel wants to do is leave her pension benefits to her life partner - Stacie, so Stacie can afford to keep their house. Laurel is told no; they are not husband and wife.

Knuckle-biting and dramatic, Freeheld chronicles a dying policewoman's bitter fight to provide for the love of her life.

This is Cynthia's second film featured at a Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival (Shelter Dogs, 2002).

Cynthia Wade is an Oscar-winning documentary director.  Her directing credits include the Sundance Special Jury Prize winning, Academy Award winning "Freeheld" (2007), IFC Channel's "Living the Legacy" (2009), HBO's five-time award winning "Shelter Dogs" (2004) and the Cinemax documentary "Grist for the Mill" (1999).  As a cinematographer, Wade has shot and produced documentaries for Discovery, A&E, PBS, Bravo, AMC, The History Channel and MTV. She holds a Masters Degree in Documentary Filmmaking from Stanford University.