Film
Forest Whitaker Backs Powerful Nuclear Documentary Ahead of DOC NYC Screening
By Ledger Staff · Oct 30, 2026
'O'Day Short: An Act of Justice' Secures Additional PBS Broadcast Dates Following Historic Five Year Partnership
Documentary from producers E'Ian West, George Sharperson, Eugene Durham and Clarissa Trejo continues bringing a forgotten California civil rights tragedy to television audiences.
By Ledger Staff ·
The historical documentary O'Day Short: An Act of Justice is set for two additional PBS KVCR television broadcasts on November 16, 2026, at 4:30 PM Pacific and December 29, 2026, at 7:00 PM Pacific, following its October premiere.
Produced by Montage Media Production Company in association with Bricktown Entertainment, the film is executive produced by award-winning filmmaker E'Ian West, actor and producer George Sharperson, filmmaker Eugene Durham, and communications executive Clarissa Trejo.
The 25-minute documentary revisits the devastating 1945 tragedy in Fontana, California, where O'Day H. Short, his wife Helen, and their two children died following an arson attack on their family home amid racial hostility and housing discrimination.
Through historical research, archival materials, and personal accounts, the filmmakers examine the family's courageous stand against segregation and the continuing significance of their story in California civil rights history.
The documentary's five-year public media partnership through PBS KVCR represents a significant distribution milestone, expanding opportunities for education, historical preservation, and national awareness.
West, a Television Academy member and producer on the Emmy-winning series The Bay, joins Sharperson, whose acting credits include Abbott Elementary and The Lincoln Lawyer, in advancing the film's mission of preserving overlooked American history.
The project also benefits from Durham's filmmaking experience and Trejo's extensive background in communications and historical research, bringing together a production team committed to honoring the Short family's legacy.
With additional television broadcasts scheduled, O'Day Short: An Act of Justice continues introducing audiences to a story of courage, racial injustice, and the enduring importance of historical remembrance.