On Monday, the D.C. mayor was joined by members of the city council and entrepreneur Ted Leonsis on the George Washington University‘s (GWU) campus to award a group of ambitious student filmmakers the city’s first award of its kind.
SnagFilms and the D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development (MPTD) announced the winner of D.C.’s first Best Film Competition.
Released to Life won the award for best film, which was created by GWU students: Greg Upwall, Yavar Moghimi, Jason Wilder Evans, Kripa Koshy, Rebecca Taylor, Jatryce Jackson, Hua “Lily” Qin, and Erika Rydberg. The students attend The Documentary Center at GWU’s School of Media and Public Affairs.
“This is the greatest honor a first time filmmaker could want for their film,” Yavar Moghimi was quoted as saying in a press release.
The issue of men and women returning home from prison is so important in the District that city council members Yvette Alexander (Ward 7), Vincent Orange (At-large) were present. Also Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Paul Quander, Jr., new CSOSA Director Nancy Ware, the Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs Charles Thornton, and President of George Washington University Steve Knapp were also present for the award ceremony and screening of the film. Additionally, CSOSA Administrator Cedric Hendricks, students of the GWU community and experts in the world of re-entry were present.
A press release for the event states that the city’s Best Film competition was created to celebrate Washington D.C.’s talented filmmakers and find original, diverse storytellers who display the spirit and quality that D.C.-based SnagFilms seeks out in all the films it showcases on its digital network.
During the screening of the film, viewers follow several people in the Washington, D.C. area after they’ve been released from prison. Released to Life shows the public much of what men and women who come home from prison are thinking. It also shows that even in the nation’s capital, coming home can still be a real struggle.
Housing, employment, and social stigma are just a few of the topics that are covered. The film’s ultimate message is that incarcerated people are transitioning back into society more than ever and the public needs to make sure they are prepared for the struggles that await them.
Mayor Gray says the contest is the first of many to come.
“This contest is the first of many that will highlight the incredible talent that exists here in our nation’s capital,” he stated in the press release.
Also in the release Leonsis said, “We are proud to showcase Released to Life on the SnagFilms digital network and shine a light on such a critical issue for our city and country. “
After the screening Councilman Orange, Director Ware and Deputy Mayor Quander participated with CEO of DC Central Kitchen Michael Curtin and Eric Weaver (one of the returning citizens who was filmed) participated during a panel presentation that responded to questions from the audience.
While on the panel Quander said that the issue of re-entry was a difficult one because it’s not only the issue of employment, but it’s also the issue of housing.
“Where is the individual going to stay? How is the individual going to live?” he asked. He went on to say, “We have to be as creative as we possibly can by bridging partnerships with churches and community based organization to increase the number of program out there.”
“There was one common theme through the movie,” Quander mentioned. “That common theme is coming home. Folks are going to come home and go back to their communities, and they can go back without any resources or that can go back with resources that are ready to assist them; when an individual works, he or she is less likely to commit crime.”
On the issue of solutions, Director Ware said, “We [CSOSA] find that it’s definitely very important that we partner with community based organizations, but we also partner with the faith community. We have a very elaborate partnership with the faith community that helps us with mentoring men and women who are leaving prison. We also conduct video conferences with different institutions; the closest one being Rivers Correctional in North Carolina. We try to work with people who are on their way out, prior to their release, connect them with mentors here in the District of Columbia who are part of different faith institutions, and that way they have someone that’s part of a network.”
One of the attendee commented that the movie should be required watching for anyone coming out of prison, and staff members of the various re-entry programs that wish to be of assistance. Leonsis wants the public to snag the movie and pass it around.
“We hope the SnagFilms audience will watch this film, share it with others and be inspired to take action. It’s what we call ‘filmanthropy,’ and this film is a wonderful example of how ‘filmanthropy’ can engage our community and change our world.” Leonsis is the Founder and Chairman of SnagFilms.
For the on-the-go tech types, the film can be downloaded for free. Also, it will soon be available on mobile devices through SnagFilms' mobile apps (for iPad, Android tablets, Kindle Fire and Android smartphones).
The organization's website describles itself [SnagFilms] as offering more than 3,000 award-winning, fiction and non-fiction titles and is available in over 110,000 affiliated sites and webpages worldwide.
The D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development is responsible for initiating and managing programs aimed at generating revenue and stimulating employment and business opportunities in the District through the production of film, television, video, photography and other multimedia projects, according to their website.
You can contact Gary Hahn at gary@snagfilms.com if you’d like to learn more about SnagFilms, or contact Leslie Green at leslie.green2@dc.gov if you’d like to learn more about the D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development.
You also can check out their website, www.film.dc.gov or follow the OFPTD on Facebook and Twitter.
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