Film

When Melvin and Jean McNair hijacked a Algeria-bound plane from Detroit in 1972 to join the international section of the Black Panthers, they called it an act of political resistance, a statement against racism and the war in Vietnam War. In reality, the hijacking was an act of desperation committed by two young people who saw no other way to escape what they felt was a constant state of racial oppression in the United States. For the past 35 years, the McNairs have lived as model citizens in France, where they served time in prison for the hijacking. Now, they want the freedom to return home without spending the rest of their lives behind bars.  Melvin & Jean: An American Story follows the McNairs from revolt and exile to renewal and reconciliation, challenging viewers to consider whether a lifetime of good can make up for a criminal act. Forty years after the hijacking, Melvin and Jean are still coming to terms with their crime and its lifelong consequences.

This short film confronts the overwhelming crisis of HIV/AIDS among older adults. Defying the myth that HIV/AIDS is a gay or young person’s disease, this revealing documentary depicts the devastating impact of this epidemic on the heterosexual, older adult population, and communities of color.