SAVING ETTING STREET by Amy Scott and Dena Fisher

The film follows carpenter Shelley Halstead as she trains a group of three young Black women in construction skills by rehabbing vacant and abandoned houses in West Baltimore, challenging generations of racism and sexism in housing. The mission is to transform a distressed block on Etting Street into a community of Black women homeowners, helping build generational wealth and stability in a neighborhood plagued by poverty, crime, and neglect. When tensions arise within the diverse group of young women she's teaching to build and a suspicious fire destroys one of her buildings, Shelley is forced to rethink her vision of community.

Work In Progress is Docs In Progress' flagship rough cut screening program. Established in May 2004, it has provided valuable feedback to over 150 documentaries and filmmakers, fostering community engagement. Filmmakers who received this support achieved completion and distribution goals, with their films being broadcast nationally, premiering at major festivals, and winning awards like the Peabody, Oscar Short List, and Emmy.

The filmmakers are seeking feedback on any aspects of the story that may be confusing or unclear, as well as areas that feel slow or could be tightened. Having previously shared the rough cut only with a close circle of advisors, they are now eager to understand how the story resonates with a fresh audience.

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