DC/DOX Film Festival 2023

Odessa's Reign

Venue
Venue featured image

Eaton Cinema

1201 K STREET NW, WASHINGTON, DC
Screening Information
Program

DC/FRAME: I Did It My Way

Date

June 18

TIME

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

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June 18 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm EDT

DC/FRAME: I Did It My Way

I Did It My Way unveils the remarkable stories of individuals who defy societal norms and redefine the boundaries of what is possible. Delve into the lives of fearless trailblazers who forge their own paths, from a female gangster who reigns over a lucrative gambling ring in 1950s DC, to a one-wheel riding wonder who defies expectations. Witness the inspiring journey of one of NASCAR’s youngest drivers, and immerse yourself in the vanishing world of Black Washington through the captivating lens of photographer Steven Cummings.

Details

Date:
June 18
Time:
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm EDT
Website:
Visit Website →

Venue

Eaton Cinema
1201 K STREET NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20005 United States
Loading Events

« All Events

June 18 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm EDT

DC/FRAME: I Did It My Way

I Did It My Way unveils the remarkable stories of individuals who defy societal norms and redefine the boundaries of what is possible. Delve into the lives of fearless trailblazers who forge their own paths, from a female gangster who reigns over a lucrative gambling ring in 1950s DC, to a one-wheel riding wonder who defies expectations. Witness the inspiring journey of one of NASCAR’s youngest drivers, and immerse yourself in the vanishing world of Black Washington through the captivating lens of photographer Steven Cummings.

Details

Date:
June 18
Time:
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm EDT
Website:
Visit Website →

Venue

Eaton Cinema
1201 K STREET NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20005 United States

Odessa's Reign

Directors

Robin N. Hamilton

Producers

Robin N. Hamilton

Editors

Ed Reinsel

Cinematographers

Ed Reinsel

Odessa Madre, nicknamed Queen of the Underworld, was a prosperous numbers runner and a key figure in a lucrative gambling ring in Washington, DC in the 1950s. Leading the paper chase gave her prestige within the mob, power in her neighborhood, and control over the men charged with enforcing the law – all while being an African American woman in a segregated city.

A biography woven with a cautionary tale, Odessa’s Reign delves into the story of a multi-faceted woman who became one of the most powerful women in DC’s history and challenged the idea of what a lady could be and how far she could go.

Robin N. Hamilton

Robin N. Hamilton

Director, Odessa's Reign

Robin Hamilton is an Emmy-award-winning television host, producer, and moderator for town halls and forums. She is the founder and principal of the ARound Robin Production Company, where she creates videos for non-profits to help with fundraising, marketing, and messaging.
Working at the intersection of media and policy, Ms. Hamilton’s work is guided by the principle of providing information that can promote transformation.
Her company has produced four documentary films. This Little Light of Mine: The Legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer chronicles the life of famed civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer. Her second documentary, Dignity and Defiance: A Portrait of Mary Church Terrell, was awarded a DC Humanities Grant and released in 2017. Our Alexandria, her third documentary, was awarded a Virginia Humanities Grant and won Best Documentary Short for the DC Independent Film Festival in 2020. Her fourth film, Odessa’s Reign is about a Black female gangster crowned ‘Queen of the Underworld’, who ran the most lucrative gambling ring in D.C. in the 1950s.
In 2016, she was awarded a Fulbright grant to Myanmar to create a communications campaign between local citizen organizations and the Burmese government.
She received two master’s degrees, one from New York University, with a concentration in broadcast journalism, and a second in public administration from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, focusing on public policy and media.