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Film Review | Acts of Reparation

By Nathan Coker
In Bayou Film
Jan 3rd, 2025
0 Comments
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REVIEW BY TABITHA MCBRIDE
SCREENING AT TINSELTOWN, WEST MONROE

Selina and Macky, photographed in Bosco, LA

The night of the screening for Acts of Reparation at Tinseltown brimmed with excitement–it is not that often a film made in part by members of the community and for them makes it to the silver screen. Selina Lewis Davidson, the film’s co-director and one of the central figures in the film, welcomed guests as they arrived. Selina calls San Francisco, California home, but proudly claims her roots are in Monroe, Louisiana. Macky Alston, Selina’s counterpart, combed the theater to warmly greet everyone in his path. Though the film’s team dedicated this particular screening to Selina’s ancestral town of Monroe, it is clear that through this project, Mackey grew to love the community and its awe-inspiring stories. 

In Acts of Reparation, Selina, a descendant of enslaved people, and Macky, whose ancestors were part of the region’s antebellum legacy, come together to explore the painful divides that still persist in not only their heritages, but in the heritages of most who call themselves Southern. As the film unfolds, they embark on a journey to reconcile with the past. Their own efforts to grow and understand spread through the respective communities in surprising, moving ways.

Throughout the screening, I could hear quiet conversations and laughter ripple through the crowd as familiar faces appeared on the screen. It wasn’t disruptive—it felt more like a family gathering, with the audience sharing in a collective reflection of their histories and experiences. The experience felt less like a public event and more like a reunion, where stories of the past came to life in a shared space of healing. Everyone in the room felt like family. Together, we learned about exciting parts of our history many of us never knew!

Ford Sisters on the Bosco Lawn

The documentary’s strength lies in its ability to weave together the personal and the historical. Through Selina and Macky’s friendship, the film presents a narrative that resonates not only with them but with families throughout the South who struggle with these same issues of historical reckoning. This isn’t a film that pretends there are easy answers—it embraces the complexity of reparation, forgiveness, and healing, showing that true reconciliation is a slow, sometimes painful process. At one pivotal moment, the community has come together to tear down a wall segregating a historic cemetery, and they see Hillman as the mother of the project who can now rejoice in what she helped bring into the world. In the documentary, a Penfield, Georgia community member remarks to Mamie Hillman, a local historian, “Ma’am, you have been pregnant for a long time.” During the Q&A portion of the screening, an audience member said this element “Brought tears to [her] eyes” and asked “How do you speak on that?” Another vulnerably proclaiming, “I just felt my heart open right from the beginning.” However, members of our local community happily reveled in the representation the film brought to Ouachita Parish. One emphatically exclaimed, “Well a high point was seeing my Juneteenth Parade!” which brought forth laughter and cheers across the room. Macky said he wants to film to inspire us “To have the conversations [we] believe [we] cannot.”

Mamie Hillman and daughter Lea Smith 
photography by Kayla Renie

The film’s pacing allows the audience time to absorb the emotional weight of each conversation, each story. The choice to forego an overbearing musical score grounds the documentary in realism, but the carefully-placed music has its place in each moment. This subtle approach emphasizes the film’s focus on lived experiences and personal truths, rather than dramatizing or sensationalizing the subject matter.

What truly sets Acts of Reparation apart is its emotional core—the relationship between Selina and Macky. Their friendship is both the heart and the lens through which the documentary explores larger themes of race, privilege, and reconciliation. Macky’s initial discomfort with confronting his family’s legacy contrasts with Selina’s openness and vulnerability, but the documentary carefully avoids simplistic narratives of guilt or victimhood. 

This screening, in particular, felt like a moment of community reflection—families seeing themselves not only in the faces on screen but in the broader story of reconciliation that Acts of Reparation offers. For those interested in the complexities of Southern heritage, race relations, and the long road to healing, this documentary offers a thoughtful, deeply emotional exploration. The local screening in West Monroe highlighted the film’s ability to resonate on a deeply personal level, making it a must-watch for audiences seeking to understand the power of friendship and history in shaping the present. 

The film is just finishing the final stages of production–we will be able to stream it soon, hopefully! In the meantime, you can find more information about Selina, Macky, their team, and the film at actsofreparation.com.