“My name is Anna and I’m auditioning for the role of JonBenét Ramsey,” a young aspiring actress announces in a newly released clip from Kitty Green’s “Casting JonBenét.” What comes out of the girl’s mouth next is so eerie it’ll give you chills.
The upcoming Netflix documentary, set to make its world premiere at Sundance on January 22, explores one of the most famous unsolved murder cases in history: the death of six-year-old American beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey.
“Over 15 months, the filmmakers traveled to the Ramseys’ Colorado hometown to elicit responses, reflections, and even performances from the local community,” the doc’s official synopsis details. “In doing so, ‘Casting JonBenet’ examines how this crime and its resulting mythologies have shaped the attitudes and behavior of successive generations of parents and children.”
Green’s previous credits include “Ukraine is Not a Brothel” and “The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul,” the latter of which received Sundance’s 2015 Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction.
When we asked Green to share some advice for other women directors, she said to “stick with women.” “It is true that the film industry can be a bit of a boys’ club, and as a young female, you can’t just ‘hang out’ with the boys freely,” she observed. “My advice is to seek out the strongest women in the industry any way you can, as the most powerful women will often go out of their way to help you. I’ve had some really inspiring women support my [films.]”
“Casting JonBenét” hits Netflix in April. The doc will also have a limited theatrical release. Check out the disturbing clip below.
