Freeheld (2007)

Like Cynthia Wade's other films, this story is about controversial issues, too. Freeheld narrates the ugly life of a policewoman through the eyes of strong female characters. There is a sense of urgency and purpose to the story. The footage is dramatic and very emotional.

Cynthia Wade had read about Laurel's life, then she decided to attend a Freeholder meeting. She brought her camera and a couple of assistants with her. She just started shooting, and nobody told her to turn off the camera. After the meeting she went up to Laure and told her she wanted to make a documentary. She spend a lot of nights in Laure's guest room and went to the hospital with her. Then the filmaker lived with Laurel during the last 10 weeks of her life, during the period of her fight againstlung cancer.

It could have been a long film, but she chose to make Freeheld a short film because she knew she had access to Laurel for only a brief time.
Freeheld has received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Short Documentary and has won the Special Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at Sundance Film Festival.