“Jury of Her Peers" at the Last Picture House -- December 16.
Tuesday, December 16, 6:30 p.m.
The Last Picture House, 325 East Second Street, Davenport IA
With the independent film's “Roadshow Tour” making its first stop in Davenport, the mystery-drama Jury of Her Peers enjoys a special screening at the Last Picture House on December 16, writer/director William Rock's true-crime feature adapted from a short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning native Iowan Susan Glaspell.
Rock's Jury of her Peers revisits one of Iowa’s most haunting early 20th-century true-crime cases: the still-unsolved axe murder of farmer John Hossack. This killing, and the complex social tensions surrounding it, first entered the public imagination through the reporting of Glaspell, a Davenport-born journalist who later became a Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright and central figure in modern American drama. Glaspell’s short play Trifles and subsequent short story A Jury of Her Peers, both inspired by the Hossack case, remain among her most enduring works, and this new film marks the first feature-length adaptation of Glaspell's material.
The movie is the flagship project of Des Moines–based Will Do Films, LLC, led by Jury of Her Peers helmer Rock. His feature debut was produced by Amy Nigg and shot by cinematographer John Hansen, acclaimed for his work in the 48-Hour Film Festival circuit. The cast includes well-known regional actors Stephanie Schneider, Cheyenne Goode, and Brianne Magel, each of whom highlight the story’s enduring emotional power and its exploration of female resilience, relationships, and community.
According to producer Amy Nigg, “Things have changed greatly – and yet sometimes not at all – between then and now. Relationships, marriages, families ... . They’re complicated. But at its heart, this story centers on women trying to make it work.” Rock adds, “Bringing a slice of Iowa history to life with an award-winning cast and crew was an absolute dream. If you like true crime, Iowa history, indie film – or just the smell of popcorn – this movie is for you.”
YWCA Quad Cities and the Quad Cities Film Office are sponsoring Jury of Her Peers' Last Picture House screening, and in describing Glaspell's enduring significant, YWCA Quad Cities CEO calls the journalist and author "one of this country’s earliest feminist literary voices. She co-founded the Provincetown Players, a crucial force in the movement for modern American theater. She made it her mission to elevate women’s perspectives – something that strongly resonates with YWCA Quad Cities.”
Jury of Her Peers will be screened at the Last Picture House on December 16, admission to the 6:30 p.m. showing is $10, and the movie will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. For more information and tickets, visit GiveButter.com/JuryOfHerPeers.
