YOU’RE INVITED TO A FREE COMMUNITY SCREENING!

A SENTENCE OF THEIR OWN – Families of the Incarcerated

In July of 1996, Becky Raymond's world was shattered. While her husband faced a felony conviction and a seven-year prison sentence, she and their two sons were left to contend with the aftermath.

A Sentence of Their Own makes visible what is rarely seen, the slow and gradual descent of a family "doing time" on the outside, and calls for a closer examination and deeper understanding of our growing use of incarceration and its impact on families, communities, and our culture at large. (53 Minutes)

WHEN: Wednesday, January 15 - 7:30 PM

WHERE: The Brecht Forum
122 West 27th St. 10th Floor (bet. 6th & 7th Ave.)
T: 212.242.4201 - E: info@brechtforum - W: brechtforum.org

TRAINS: 1, 9, N, R to 28th St. / F, C, E to 23rd St. / PATH to 23rd St.

WHO: Edgar A. Barens (director) will conduct a question & answer session on the many issues presented in the documentary directly following the screening.

FREE ENTRY TO MEMBERS OF THIS LIST AND/OR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES WITH INCARCERATED LOVED ONES!

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IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE SCREENING - PLEASE FORWARD THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TO OTHERS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING - THANKS!

is this for 2003?

We saw this project at the conference in Houston. Love Barb

YEs we did show this at the PTO conference last year. Many of us were disapointed with it honestly.

bella - i'm sorry you were disappointed in my documentary film. perhaps you can elaborate on why so many of you did not like it?

if i recall correctly from the various emails i received after the screening at the first annual prisontalk conference, many of the viewers simply did not like to be associated with this poor white family who live in a trailer park.

i was saddened by this reaction since it is clearly stated in the film that this family WAS middle class prior to the incarceration of the husband. his incarceration caused their downward spiral into poverty, and although poverty is a sad state to be in, it is not something to be ashamed of.

for many viewers becky and her family were simply not an ideal poster-family for families of the incarcerated. many suggested that i make a new film focusing on the families who were "making it" despite the hardships of incarceration. while i commend the families who are "making it" the majority of families in this siuation are not doing as well.

as a maker of socially relevant films i focus on the problems in our society since those are the areas that need the most immediate attention. in the case of incarceration, i feel that the public is not aware of the impact incarceration has on the family - this is the point of my film.

Edgar,
many of us felt that family itself was not the best choice. I will be blunt here and forgive me in advance. Although you explained that they were middle class before this happend watching their daily life activities gives the public audience an opinion about then. The children were not kept clean, the house was filty and she was less than educated. Being poor does not stop someone from being clean or educated. Yes, many of us have become 'pay check to pay check" families since this has happened but we continue to take pride in our appearence and how we raise our children. Many of us felt that maybe you could have used a familiy that portrayed this situation from a different light. An educated woman who is struggling since this happened but doing whatever she can to make it work. Maybe living in a trailer park but also ensuring that her children take a bath daily rather than clean them with baby wipes. I have been to may trailer parks in my day and seen quite a few that were cleaner than you can imagine. She had trash piled in fron of her house, etc. We felt as if it said to the public, see she's an inmates wife and she is what you though she would be, unclean living in poverty and her priorites we not right to begin with, that must be why she is with a guy like that cause any other guy wouldn't be with her. Although you and I know that is not the case, the majority of the general public does see it that way. We felt that she just added to the typical sterotype of the prison wife, something we are working very hard to get people to realize is not the norm.
As for the film itself and the direction/production of it, we all felt it was great. It is the content that bothered many of us. I agree that maybe you should consider doing another film but using a family of a different nature. Thus showing society that she is not the norm, because she is not.

ebarens---welcome to PTO!...I saw your film at the conference and although I cannot say I was disapointed I did feel as though it did not help the way people saw prisoners and their families....I have 5 children and my husband has been in for almost 2 years now...we are struggling and I am sad but not ashamed to say we are "poor"...but the way that family spent loads of money on collect calls and then had to eat a potato for dinner really annoyed me....we were all made out to not have our priorities in order...she smoked like a chimney, washed her kids with a cloth before they went to school, and got an eviction notice because the outside of her house was filthy..the way her son was drawing guns and all that bothered me because this is the stereotypical view of "us"....I did appreciate the fact that you took and interest and they film was a look into their life...I would like to see a film where there is a variety of situations...not just one. What I did get from this family was that things could be ALOT worse for me and I thanked God for all the blessings I have in my life....I do think it is an interesting film and peoiple should check it out if they are able.

Amelia