Wide Open (7 minutes) by Wren Rene
Tamika Bell, Paulette Carrington and Starr Granger were sentenced to die in Pennsylvania when they were teenagers. After decades in prison – over 90 years collectively – Tamika, Paulette and Starr were released after the US Supreme court ruled that sentencing youth to life without parole was unconstitutional. This short film poetically depicts some of what the transition home from prison has looked and felt like.
You Deserve Better Than Prison: Messages to Youth from Women Serving Life (4 minutes)
The topic of this film was the idea of Avis Lee who is currently awaiting a public hearing that will decide her freedom. The desire to protect young people from similar paths is echoed throughout PA prisons and this piece showcases many voices, including family members and formerly incarcerated women who were sentenced to die as young people.
We Are More Than Our Worst Day (12 minutes)
This poignant vignette features the transformative journeys of Tequilla Fields and Tameka Flowers who are both seeking commutation. This film radiates resilience and the power to change that is widespread amongst people with death by incarceration sentences.
Pennsylvania’s Commutation Process: Naomi Blount’s Experience (20 minutes)
This piece takes you through one woman’s journey of the lengthy and laborious steps of achieving freedom from a life sentence. Naomi Blount was the second woman to receive commutation in the last 30 years and at the time of filming has been home for one year.
Released in August of 2020 the three films above were all produced by Tusko Films.
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