PMA Films: Tehachapi (Free screening and panel discussion)

About this event

Directed by JR. 93 minutes (followed by discussion). Not Rated. In English. Tehachapi is co-presented by Inside Vision/Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, Reentry Sisters, and the Can Art Change the World? Foundation. The screening will be followed by a discussion with subjects from the film and representatives from Can Art Change the World? Foundation and Reentry Sisters who will discuss Still Becoming, a mural and interactive website project that tells the stories of women who have experienced incarceration in Maine. The feature documentary Tehachapi, directed by JR, captures the stories of the incarcerated men with whom he collaborated to create monumental artworks in a U.S. maximum-security prison. In October 2019, JR received unprecedented permission to work in one of California’s most violent supermax prisons: Tehachapi. There, he met with a group of 28 incarcerated men, many of whom were serving life sentences for crimes committed as minors. JR invited them to participate in an art project, never anticipating the ripple effects the mural would have. The film Tehachapi follows the journey of the participants as they tell their stories, reconnect with family, and heal. It demonstrates how art is a powerful force for hope, reveals individuals’ capacity for change, and offers a poignant look at the humanity within prison walls. Tehachapi is an official selection at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, Copenhagen Film Festival, and Rome Film Festival.