The Perfect Neighbor Trailer: Gripping and Must-See Sundance Awardee Coming Next Month

      One of the most impactful and unsettling documentaries of the year, Geeta Gandbhir’s *The Perfect Neighbor* examines stand-your-ground laws through a specific case in Florida. After premiering at Sundance and receiving a directing award, the film is set to screen at the New York Film Festival before its Netflix release on October 17.

      Here’s the synopsis: “One woman. Numerous 911 calls. And a tightly-knit community ensnared in a nightmare. What starts as one woman's persistent harassment of children escalates into a shocking act of violence. Captured through gripping police bodycam footage, *The Perfect Neighbor* – Winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s Directing Award – offers a hauntingly intense experience that keeps viewers on edge from beginning to end.”

      In my Sundance review, I remarked, “First gaining significant attention in 2005 when it was enacted in Florida, the stand-your-ground law permits property owners to use lethal force to protect their homes from intruders. The expected outcome has been a rise in homicides and a documented racial bias concerning the prevalence of white shooters and Black victims. While a documentary could examine the extensive data and numerous cases related to this issue, Geeta Gandbhir’s compelling and frustrating *The Perfect Neighbor* takes a deliberately narrow, focused perspective, concentrating on a single Florida case predominantly through police bodycam and CCTV interrogation footage. Initial police reports regarding a neighbor distressed by children trespassing on her property shockingly escalate in an instant; Gandbhir allows the footage to speak for itself, resulting in a documentary that is far more disturbing and impactful than any commentary could provide.”

      Watch the trailer below.