Brittney Griner Uses Documentary About Her Detention In Russia To Sound Alarm On ICE Crackdowns

Brittney Griner is using the premiere of her documentary at the Sundance Film Festival to draw attention to what she describes as escalating ICE crackdowns across the United States.

“The Brittney Griner Story,” directed by Alexandria Stapleton, is set to debut Tuesday afternoon at the festival.

Griner is looking back on some of the most traumatic moments of her life, in the hope that sharing her experience publicly can help audiences prevent similar abuses of power from being normalized closer to home.

The official Sundance blog describes “The Brittney Griner Story” as an exploration of the career path that led Griner away from the United States and the WNBA.

A central focus of the documentary is Griner’s 2022 arrest in Russia on drug smuggling charges, which resulted in a high-profile trial.

The basketballer was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to nine years in prison.

Griner spent nearly ten months navigating Russia’s justice system before diplomatic efforts involving her family and the Biden administration helped secure her release in December 2022.

In a prisoner exchange, the United States freed Russian politician Viktor Bout, who had been serving time at a medium-security federal prison in Illinois.

Griner says her experience being detained by Russian authorities has helped her to recognize warning signs in what she views as increasingly aggressive enforcement from ICE.

She singled out events in Minnesota as being particularly concerning.

“Right now, we’re in a very bad place, especially with everything that’s going on in Minnesota and just across our country,” Griner told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of her documentary’s premiere.

“I hope this film can shed some light into what it could be like if we keep letting this happen,” she added.

According to Griner, the unfolding of real-world events has only made “The Brittney Griner Story” feel more urgent over time.

She says watching the film amid heightened tensions in the U.S. allows audiences to draw cleaner parallels between her detention in Russia and what is currently happening at home.

“I hope this film can shed some light into what it could be like if we keep letting this happen,” Griner said. “I definitely think people will understand a little bit more now and be able to see some comparisons.”

Director Stapleton, who appeared alongside Griner in the interview with The Hollywood Reporter, echoed the sentiment.

The filmmaker expressed hope that the documentary would serve as a “cautionary tale” for the public.

In a separate interview with The Wrap, Griner said she has found unexpected catharsis through the process of making “The Brittney Griner Story.”

Following her release from Russia, Griner explained that one of the biggest challenges was how isolating the experience had felt.

“Trying to find counseling for being detained in a Russian prison is kind of hard when you type that in Google,” Griner said.

She also admitted that discussing the ordeal with family members proved difficult, but said participating in the documentary helped create space for those conversations to happen organically.

“We would talk, we would cut and keep talking,” Griner explained. “So, it was very healing to make this film and heal at the same time.”

In the wake of her detention in Russia, Griner has turned her experience into action.

Earlier this month, the basketball star launched Zenjet, a travel safety startup designed to help clients avoid legal and medical complications while traveling abroad.

A quote attributed to Griner on the official website warns against complacency.

“The rules may seem clear, but local authorities can interpret them in different ways,” the excerpt says.

Between the launch of Zenjet and now the release of her documentary, Griner appears determined to use her past experiences to help others navigate an increasingly uncertain world.