Research & Production of Prison Life Stories, 2008, HD, 30 minutes
“This call is from a correctional institution…” Some hear those words often. Some think they know what the words mean. “Prison Life Stories” begins with a phone call from Patrick Middleton, Ph.D. who has been incarcerated for more than 30 years. A voice on the phone urges the prisoner to discuss life behind bars. He responds with candor and poignancy. This documentary is a profound exploration of stories that surround the prison system in Philadelphia, demonstrating the effects of incarceration not only on prisoners and their families, but even whole communities. These are the faces that are often invisible and the voices we rarely hear. Prison Life Stories challenges perceptions of what kind of people are in prison today and why.
by Deborah Rudman, Anula Shetty, Michael Kuetemeyer
featuring: Patrick Middleton, Julia Lopez, Judith Trustone, Cameron Holmes,
Brenda Robinson, Deborah Rider, Thomas Gallagher, Damani Lopez,
Antoinette Hannibal, John Bell, Naima Black, Charlie Patterson
photographs from Temple University Libraries, Urban Archives
(30 min., © 2008)
