Since the beginning of the War on Drugs, the number of women in U.S. prisons has grown by over 800%. The majority are mothers.
Three unforgettable formerly incarcerated mothers, imprisoned for drug-related charges, fight to overcome alienation—and a society that labels them “felons”—to readjust to life with their families.
Apart: Film Screening & Discussion
Join WSIU and The Carbondale Public Library for an exclusive hour-long excerpt of the documentary film Apart, followed by a discussion.The film focuses on three unforgettable formerly incarcerated mothers, jailed for drug-related charges, as they fight to overcome alienation—and a society that labels them “felons”—to readjust to life with their families. A virtual discussion on Zoom will follow the screening. Registration is not required.
Guest Speaker: Audrey Hickert | Assistant Professor Criminology & Criminal Justice at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale audrey.hickert@siu.edu
Stream Online at pbs.org: February 21st – March 22nd
Resources related to this film are located here.
About The Film
This intimate portrait examines the impact of America’s war on drugs through three mothers attempting to rebuild lives derailed by drugs and prison. As Tomika, Lydia, and Amanda prepare to rejoin their families after years of incarceration, they enter an innovative prison program in Cleveland, Ohio where they lean on each other and mentors who have also been in prison. With the hope of redemption on the horizon, the women work to regain the trust of their children and combat stigmas associated with people who have been incarcerated.
About The Filmmakers
Jennifer Redfearn directed and produced the Oscar-nominated Sun Come Up. Her film Tocando La Luz (Touch the Light) aired on PBS, and she was a field director and consulting producer on SXSW Audience Award-winner Landfill Harmonic. She has produced docs for PBS, BBC, National Geographic, CNN, and Discovery, and is director of the documentary program at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.
Oscar-nominated producer and Emmy-nominated cinematographer Tim Metzger filmed and produced Sun Come Up, as well as Tocando La Luz (Touch the Light). He was DP for several Emmy-nominated series, including National Geographic’s The Story of God with Morgan Freeman and Discovery’s Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero. Tim’s work has also appeared on PBS, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, and HBO.
Additional Resources
Download the Discussion Guide for the film, Apart, here: https://independentlens.s3.amazonaws.com/2300/11%20Apart/Indie%20Lens%20Pop-Up/APART_Discussion-Guide.pdf
WSIU FILM EVENTS Indie Lens Pop-Up is a WSIU media project that brings people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Indie Lens Pop-Up features documentaries from the PBS hit series Independent Lens, draws local residents together to discuss newsworthy topics. These in-person and virtual events are free and open to the public.
