THE LAST WITCH Springs Forward!
- Apr 26
- 2 min read
Happy Spring,
As the season shifts toward growth and renewal, the same is true for our documentary THE LAST WITCH.
We are deep in the editing process, cutting scenes and shaping a story that weaves together complex, deeply rooted themes with urgent relevance today. Not only that, but we are only months away from Final Picture Lock, the last step before postproduction takes over completely with color, sound, music and more!
At the heart of the film is Ms. LaPierre, a middle school civics teacher navigating the challenges of education in a complicated world. Her goal is simple but powerful: teach students how to think, not what to think. Following her students over several years, we see how critical middle school is in preparing young people to engage meaningfully in civic life.
These students carry those lessons forward. When they approach voting age, they do so with thoughtful questions and personal criteria that go beyond party lines, grounded in what they learned in her classroom. We listen to them. They consider most current politicians to be dinosaurs and recognize that, because it takes a long time for government processes to work, they will vote for candidates with a track record and a practical action plan ready to implement.
At the same time, the film looks back. Through the story of Elizabeth Johnson Jr. and the Salem Witch Trials, we are reminded how fragile society can be. Though centuries apart, the risks of fear, injustice, and groupthink remain. Her story, innocent, yet convicted to hang for the crimes of being a witch and using witchcraft to harm others, challenges us to consider what it takes to protect justice in any era.
Students at North Andover Middle School took that challenge seriously, working to restore dignity to someone lost in history when they worked tirelessly to persuade the legislature to exonerate Ms. Johnson Jr. Their actions reflect the civic responsibility the film explores.
THE LAST WITCH ultimately asks: what must we learn, and what must we do, to safeguard justice and democracy today?
We are just a few months away from completing the film and staying on track for distribution next year. Thank you for being part of this journey. Please see below for ways to get involved and help us cross the finish line.
