In their upcoming documentary about Pauli Murray, filmmaker Igor Juricevic employs a powerful strategy to connect modern audiences with the historical contributions of a largely unrecognized hero of civil rights, feminism, and labor movements. By focusing on the theme of unjustly denied recognition, Juricevic aims to resonate deeply with viewers’ inherent sense of fairness and justice.
Highlighting Injustice to Spark Engagement
Juricevic is clear about their approach to drawing in audiences: “One strategy that I’m using is to emphasize that Pauli Murray made huge contributions to the civil rights movement, the feminist movement, and the labor movement and, yet, has been mostly forgotten by mainstream society.” The stark contrast between Murray’s significant achievements and their lack of recognition is positioned at the forefront of the documentary to highlight the injustice faced due to their intersectional identity.
Triggering a Sense of Fairness
The filmmaker hopes to activate the audience’s innate sense of fairness, which they believe will drive emotional investment in Murray’s story. “I’m hoping that when the audience realizes this, that innate sense of fairness gets triggered, and they become emotionally invested in Pauli Murray’s story,” Juricevic explains. They further emphasizes the relevance of Murray’s experiences today, particularly in how societal structures often fail those with intersectional identities.
Universal Themes of Fairness and Justice
Juricevic’s narrative strategy focuses not only on celebrating Murray’s achievements but also on acknowledging the societal failure to recognize them due to their identity as black, transgender, and presenting as a woman. “It’s not just that Pauli Murray did great things, it’s that they did great things and were not recognized for these achievements simply because of their intersectional identity,” they state. This approach underlines the documentary’s aim to address themes of fairness and justice—universal needs that resonate across different audiences.
Connecting Past and Present
By weaving these themes into the documentary, Juricevic seeks to make Pauli Murray’s historical contributions relevant to today’s audience, drawing parallels between past injustices and current social issues. The hope is that by the end of the documentary, viewers will not only recognize Murray’s contributions but also reflect on how society can better acknowledge and celebrate diverse historical figures.
As this project progresses, stay tuned for more insights into how Igor Juricevic plans to bring Pauli Murray’s compelling story to a broad audience, encouraging a deeper understanding and appreciation of an unsung hero.