Gravitas Ventures Offers North American Audiences Insightful Journey into “The Prison Within”, Powerful Documentary
Thursday, June 25, 2020
(Los Angeles, CA—June 24, 2020) As global demonstrators stand united demanding police and prison reform “The Prison Within” from filmmaker Katherin Hervey, is an extraordinarily well-timed documentary that offers a powerful and thoughtful alternative to our current systems of justice. Through the crushing stories of survivors of violent crimes and men incarcerated for murder, viewers witness redemption and healing inside California’s San Quentin prison. “The Prison Within” takes viewers on a profound exploration of the unmet needs of victims, the vulnerable, and the marginalized within our criminal justice system. The film expands on the inherent injustices of the racially-charged United States legislations that Ava DuVernay’s groundbreaking “13th” laid bare for global audiences. Hervey goes beyond why and howthe system is inadequate, deftly exposing the torment experienced by people on both sides of prison walls. Through personal stories illustrative of the systemic injustices that perpetuate cycles of violence and trauma, this film lays a path to heal and reconcile our notions of justice. This incredible documentary will be released by Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company across North America on all VOD/Digital & Blu-Ray/DVD platforms beginning on August 25th, 2020.
“The Prison Within” world premiered at the 2020 Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) in January winning the Social Justice Award for Documentary Film, before the pndemic changed the film festival landscape. This film serves as an example of how all people can change, how we can evolve as a community, and the power of connecting to the humanity in others, even those who have committed harm. The filmmakers aim to advance the dialogue about our shared responsibility to collectively heal our mass incarceration crisis; and to motivate definitive community justice reform that breaks the cycle of recidivism and the criminalization of marginalized communities.
Producer Erin Kenway states, “In this time of deep reflection and calls for systemic justice reform, this film shatters the ‘us versus them’ tropes within the criminal justice system and our communities.”
“The Prison Within” is narrated by Hill Harper (“The Good Doctor,” “Homeland,” “CSI: NY,” “Covert Affairs ”) and author of Letters to an Incarcerated Brother, which speaks to the current mass incarceration crisis. Award-winning composer Ruth Mendelson developed the original score for the documentary. The film also features restorative justice expert and MacArthur Genius Fellow sujatha baliga, formerly incarcerated Soros Justice Fellow Troy Williams, and Sam Johnson (“Released” /OWN Network), who was recently released after 23 years inside San Quentin. “The Prison Within”grants viewers access to a world that is seldom depicted in more exploitative prison dramas, a rare cultural production that manages to engage even the most unforgiving of audience members while highlighting the humanity of these oft-dehumanized people.
Director Katherin Hervey, a former Los Angeles Public Defender and volunteer prison college instructor, is the first filmmaker to gain access to chronicle these intimate and revealing sessions inside San Quentin Prison. Produced by both Hervey and Kenway, this powerhouse female filmmaking duo worked tirelessly to share these incredibly transformative stories with audiences everywhere.
“The Gravitas Team is really proud to be working with Erin Kenway and Katherin Hervey to bring this timely film to audiences. The doc is just as much about reform in human hearts as it is about reform in our penal system. More messages of hope and growth are needed and these filmmakers have done a thorough job at building a resounding theme in The Prison Within,” said Nick Royak, Senior Acquisitions Manager at Gravitas Ventures.
Filmmakers Katherin Hervey & Erin Kenway negotiated with Nick Royak, on behalf of Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company.
Where to follow the film and its journey:
Website: theprisonwithin.org
Facebook: @theprisonwithin
Twitter: @prisonwithindoc
Instagram: @prisonwithinfilm
About Gravitas Ventures
Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company, is a leading all rights distributor of independent feature films and documentaries. Founded in 2006, Gravitas connects independent filmmakers and producers with distribution opportunities across the globe. Working with talented directors and producers, Gravitas Ventures has distributed thousands of films into over a hundred million homes in North America - over one billion homes worldwide. Recent releases include Score: A Film Music Documentary; California Typewriter; Legion of Brothers; Katie Holmes’ feature directorial debut; All We Had , Colin Hanks’ All Things Must Pass; Being Evel from Academy Award winning director Daniel Junge and producer Johnny Knoxville; and For The Love of Spock from Director Adam Nimoy.
For more information, please visit gravitasventures.com , and follow @GravitasVOD on Twitter and @gravitasventures on Instagram.
About Red Arrow Studios
Red Arrow Studios is one of the world’s leading creators and distributors of entertainment content. Red Arrow Studios is comprised of 20 production companies in seven territories, including 10 companies based in the United States; world-leading multi-platform digital network Studio71, based in six countries; and global film and TV distributors Red Arrow Studios International and Gravitas Ventures.
The group’s significant output includes scripted, non-scripted and formatted content and IP, from TV and film to short-form and branded content, made for an array of global networks and platforms.
Red Arrow Studios is part of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, one of Europe's leading media groups. For more information, please visit: www.redarrow.tv
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