Monthly screening to feature ‘American Violet’

The Rehoboth Beach Film Society’s monthly screening will feature “American Violet” at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26, in the upstairs screening room at the Movies at Midway.

Based on true events that took place during the 2000 presidential election, “American Violet” tells the astonishing story of Dee Roberts, a 24-year-old African-American single mother of four living in a small Texas town, barely making ends meet on a waitress’ salary and government subsidies. During a sweeping drug bust conducted in her housing project, Dee is arrested and charged as a drug dealer on the word of a dubious police informant facing drug charges of his own.

Although Dee has no prior drug record and no drugs were found in her house during the raid, she is offered a hellish choice: plead guilty and go home as a convicted felon, or remain in prison and fight the charges, which would jeopardize her custody of her kids and risk a long prison sentence. If she chooses to fight the district attorney and the criminal justice system he represents, the battle could change the entire Texas justice system.

Local criminal attorney Edward C. Gill will lead a post-screening discussion about this case and the American justice system.

Monthly screenings are $2 for Rehoboth Beach Film Society members who present their membership card and $4 for nonmembers.

For more information on this series, other events or to become a member, visit rehobothfilm.com, or call 302-645-9095.