DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

THERE IS AN UNMOTIVATED PACE TO THE CURRENT STATE OF PRISON REFORM. A DULL AND RELUCTANT INCHING FORWARD TOWARD HUMANITY. TOWARD A SYSTEM THAT ISN’T RIPE WITH THE MIASMA OF PROFITEERING OR CORRUPTION; ONE THAT IS SHROUDED IN TALKING POINTS AND PESSIMISM AND LASSITUDE. BUT JUST AS ANY FILM ABOUT AN INCARCERATED PERSON WORKS TOWARD SOME KIND OF SHARED LANGUAGE OF FAMILIARITY, ANY JUSTICE-INVOLVED PERSON LIKE LEAH CHANGES THE COLLECTIVE PERCEPTION OF AN INMATE. LEAH IS WHAT A CONVICT LOOKS LIKE, BUT SHE IS ALSO WHAT A MOTHER LOOKS LIKE. A GRANDMOTHER, A CARING DAUGHTER, A MENTOR AND SO ON. YES, THERE IS A DARKNESS TO THE STATISTICS AROUND PRISON REFORM, BUT THERE IS AN OPTIMISM, IN EQUAL MEASURE, IN PEOPLE. THIS MOTIVATED OUR CHOICE TO FOCUS ON THE NOW, LEAH’S NOW - HER 756TH DAY ON PAROLE - HUSTLING TO MAKE UP TIME WITH FAMILY AND WORK, INSTEAD OF A DOUR, LEADEN PAST. TO WORK WITH LEAH IS TO FACE TOTAL POWER. SHE OPERATES WITH A TENACITY ONLY FOUND IN RESPONSE TO THE INERTIA OF PRISON. IN HER OWN WORDS “YOU CAN DO THE TIME OR LET THE TIME DO YOU.” AND INSIDE, PRISON BECAME A SORT OF SANCTUARY SPACE FOR LEAH. SHE RECEIVED AN IVY LEAGUE EDUCATION AND THROUGH HER EFFORTS WITH OTHER INCARCERATED WOMEN, LAID THE GROUND WORK FOR HER ROLE AS A COMMUNITY MENTOR IN BROOKLYN. I WILL ALWAYS BE IMPRESSED BY HER AND GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO SHAPE THIS FILM AROUND A DAY IN HER LIFE.