Saint Judy (2018) was directed by Sean Hanish. It's a narrative film, based on the life of Attorney Judy Wood, played by Michelle Monaghan.
Wood is an immigration attorney who truly believes that the U.S. should welcome, not reject, people seeking asylum. She fights for these people--particularly women--and often saves them from deportation and death.
The problem is that this kind of commitment requires her to neglect other aspects of her life. Personal and financial matters keep pulling her in one direction, while the work she does pulls her the other way.
The plot of the film consists of Attorney Wood moving toward the moment of truth in a deportation hearing in the Federal District Court.
The acting in the movie is excellent, and the message is profound. I think this film is good enough to recommend it to everyone. If you're an attorney or a human rights activist, it's a must see. It will work well on the small screen.
We saw Saint Judy at Rochester's excellent Little Theatre. It was shown as part of the Rochester High Falls Women's Film Festival, where it won the audience award for Best Narrative Film.
