'The Perfect Neighbor' Examines Stand-Your-Ground Laws Through Tragic Florida Case

Geeta Gandbhir's documentary uses police body cam footage to recount the killing of Ajike Owens and its broader implications on racial bias and self-defense laws.

• The documentary focuses on the 2023 shooting of Ajike Owens, an unarmed Black mother, by her white neighbor Susan Lorincz in Ocala, Florida.
• Using police body cam footage, the film reconstructs the events leading up to the shooting and highlights systemic failures in addressing the neighborhood conflict.
• It critiques Stand-Your-Ground laws, which allow the use of deadly force based on perceived threats, and their disproportionate impact on racial violence in the U.S.
• The film explores the aftermath of Owens' death, including community grief, demands for justice, and the broader societal consequences of such laws.
• Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, the documentary has been praised for its intimate storytelling and powerful indictment of self-defense legislation.

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