Spit on the Broom

Thematic The Weight of a Question: Documentary and the Art of Inquiry
For more than a century and a half, a group of African American women belonging to a clandestine organization have acted as agents of goodwill in their communities. This visual essay portrays the history of the United Order of Tents, a secret society that originated in the aftermath of the American Civil War. The strength of this multigenerational sisterhood is shown through an amalgamation of historical reenactments and contemporary sequences with the Tents. These hyperreal images are accompanied by narration documenting the history of the organization, a hypnagogic score, and ethereal sound design. Through harrowing imagery and dreamlike scenes from the past, the mystery of the Tents unfolds but never unravels. SAM
Director
Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich
Producer
Krystal Tingle
Cinematographer
Jon-Sesrie Goff
Release Year
2019
Festival Year
2025
Country
United States
Run Time
11 minutes