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'Cycle'

Cinebuds
Cinebuds
Episode • May 7 • 36m
On this episode, Dori welcomes some very special guests to talk about a very important film: Cycle.

More than five years in the making, Cycle takes an unflinching look at the patterns behind police violence in America through the story of Ty’rese West, an 18-year-old from Racine who was shot and killed by Mount Pleasant police officer Eric Giese in 2019 after being stopped for riding a bicycle without a headlight.

Joining the podcast to talk about their film — and their deep connections to it — are directors Laura Dyan Kezman and William Howell, both of whom are from Racine. Uniquely Milwaukee host Kim Shine also sits in for this one as the quartet talk about:
  • Howell's personal connection to West's family and the Racine community, which helped build trust for the deeply personal footage in the film.
  • The challenging process of obtaining public information from authorities.
  • How the death of George Floyd in 2020 reframed their work.
  • Who holds power in the criminal justice system, particularly the District Attorney.
  • The challenges of and potential for filmmaking in Wisconsin.
  • The hope that "Cycle" serves as a catalyst and inspires viewers to push social justice forward.
Cinebuds is sponsored by Joe Wilde Co.