Ray Klonsky is a Jewish-Italian man from a racially mixed neighbourhood in Toronto. When Ray’s father started to notice he was starting to go down a troubled path, Ray was connected with David McCallum, who is currently serving a life sentence in prison, for a murder that he did not commit. With David’s story inspiring him to change his path through life, Ray sets it upon himself to re-investigate David’s case and get him exonerated. However, Ray and his team face the challenge of going against a justice system that is not designed to free the wrongly convicted. Following the lead of films like The Thin Blue Line and Paradise Lost, David & Me is trying to use the documentary medium to help prove the innocence of a wrongly convicted man. Based on the description of events given, it seems obvious that David McCallum was both a victim of the desire to stop New York City’s high crime rate in the 1980s, as well as possible racial profiling. David’s biggest regret is doing a videotaped “confession,” which was completely coerced, yet the only evidence the jury paid attention to during the trial. As both co-director and co-subject, David & Me is just as much about Ray Klonsky, as it is David McCallum. David became the big brother that Ray never had and he is very dedicated to help is friend. The film also features an appearance by ex-boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, who himself was wrongly convicted of murder and he joins Ray in his fight to free David. Despite David McCallum’s dire situation, as he remains incarcerated, the bond that he and Ray have and the continued hope that David will someday be free makes David & Me a film well worth watching. 8 | LIKED IT Screenings:
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Sun, April 27, 9:00 PM – Isabel Bader Theatre (Documental: Manifesto Meets Hot Docs screening)
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Mon, April 28, 3:00 PM – TIFF Bell Lightbox 3
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Sat, May 3, 4:00 PM – Isabel Bader Theatre
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