Best known as an actor who embodies strong and soulful characters, Sonja Sohn began her documentary filmmaking career by focusing on a story that lay dormant within her. Arriving in Baltimore to portray Det. Greggs on HBO’s series, The Wire, Sohn was enamored by its people and set out to illustrate how their struggles, resilience, and passion for social justice impacted a uniquely transformative time. Baltimore Rising chronicles the city’s history in the aftermath of Freddie Gray’s death, who sustained injuries while held in police custody. Executive produced by Marc Levin, Sohn’s directing and acting careers were launched when he first cast her as the female lead in his breakout feature Slam, winner of the Sundance Grand Jury and Cannes’ Camera d’Or Prizes. Together they collaborated on the script, with Sohn improvising much of her role.
For her second directorial film, Sohn and Levin joined forces with Kary Antholis to chronicle the mysterious death of Baltimore Homicide Detective Sean Suiter and its influence on the city’s residents. Through the eyes of local journalists and a few rebellious public servants, the film strips bare policing in the age of violent crime and police corruption, revealing an illusion of the protection long believed to be ensured.
Through her work in front and behind the camera, Sohn fuses her entertainment expertise and passion to lift up those living in our nation’s most challenged communities. She looks forward to using her platform to raise and empower unseen communities in Baltimore and around the world.
