Amanda, Lydia and Tomika are serving prison sentences in Ohio for drug-related convictions. The prospect of eventual release, reunification with their families and reentry into society as convicted felons is fraught with anxiety and risk. “Everybody we knew went to jail. Everybody we knew used drugs. It’s like, we were destined for that,” says Amanda, whose story is harrowing but not unusual. As director Jennifer Redfearn follows these three women over a period of several years, her camera gets remarkably close, capturing deeply intimate moments of shame, courage, disappointment and reconciliation as they unfold. “The system is designed to be punitive,” a counselor (a former addict herself) allows, clear-eyed about the challenges female inmates must overcome. Yet, there is a possibility of life after prison, as distant as it may seem.

Colorado Premiere
Commitment Grant Winner