"She's always meddling with other people's kids." Netflix has just unveiled an official trailer for the highly acclaimed documentary film *The Perfect Neighbor*, crafted by the award-winning director Geeta Gandbhir. This gripping film made its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it was hailed as one of the festival's finest offerings—landing a spot on my personal Top 10 Best of the Fest list.
Utilizing a chilling array of bodycam footage from numerous police encounters, *The Perfect Neighbor* offers an unflinching look into a close-knit community torn apart by one neighbor's unrelenting harassment. But when her hostility takes a sinister and deadly turn, escalating into a fatal crime, the film transforms into an infuriating, unsettling, and profoundly sad true story. One woman. Dozens of 911 calls. And a tight-knit neighborhood ensnared in a nightmare wrought by a so-called "Karen." What starts as one woman’s relentless harassment of children spirals into a shocking act of violence—murder. This harrowing tale is told entirely through the lens of gripping police bodycam footage, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
*The Perfect Neighbor*—also a recipient of the Sundance Film Festival’s Directing Award—delivers a hauntingly powerful experience that lingers long after the credits roll. While the documentary is intended as a commentary on Florida’s controversial "Stand Your Ground" law, it ultimately reveals a deeper, more disturbing examination of the latent racism lurking in every corner of America—and how that dangerous prejudice often erupts into violence. A seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalates into deadly conflict, with police bodycam footage and investigative interviews laying bare the catastrophic consequences of such laws.
Set in a typical American neighborhood, where families go about their daily lives and children play freely, one woman interprets every conflict as a personal attack demanding police intervention. The irritating antics of this local "Karen" gradually unravel into something far darker and more shocking. Director Geeta Gandbhir masterfully weaves this uniquely American story through the artful presentation of real-life found footage, allowing the harrowing truth to speak for itself with chilling clarity.
*The Perfect Neighbor* is directed by the acclaimed documentary filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir, whose previous works include *Puppies Behind Bars*, *A Journey of a Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers*, *I Am Evidence*, and *Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power*. Produced by Alisa Payne, Nikon Kwantu, Sam Bisbee, and Geeta Gandbhir herself, the film initially premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Netflix will release *The Perfect Neighbor* in select U.S. theaters starting October 10th, 2025, followed by a streaming debut on Netflix on October 17th of the same year.
Who’s ready to witness this unforgettable story?
