Since I Been Down – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

MOVIE OF THE WEEK May 27, 2022: SINCE I BEEN DOWN

May 22, 2022June 4, 2022 Jennifer Merin betsy bozdech, Cate Marquis, documentary, Gilda Sheppard, jennifer merin, Kimonti Carter, leslie combemale, liz whittemore, loren king, Marilyn Ferdinand., motw, Movie of the Week, nell minow, passion river films, sandie angulo chen, Since I Been Down, three strikes laws

Both infuriating and inspiring, Gilda Sheppard’s documentary Since I Been Down lays bare the fear and institutional racism that drive so much of the United States’ criminal justice system — but also shows how education and understanding can open minds and turn lives around. Focusing on the story of Kimonti Carter, a Black Tacoma, Wash., man who’s been incarcerated for murder since he was 18, it demands that viewers think critically about race, power, rehabilitation, and justice.

Reviews

SINCE I BEEN DOWN – Review by Jennifer Merin

May 16, 2022May 20, 2022 Jennifer Merin documentary, Gilda Sheppard, Kimonti Carter, motw, Movie of the Week, passion river films, Since I Been Down, three strikes laws

Filmmaker Gilda Sheppard’s very sobering and sometimes heartbreaking documentary, Since I Been Down, is about the criminal justice system in the United States, particularly as it raises awareness about the lasting impact of three-strikes laws that have mandated life-without-parole sentences for juveniles, particular children of color, who’ve been convicted of crimes three times.

Reviews

SINCE I BEEN DOWN – Review by Leslie Combemale

May 16, 2022May 26, 2022 Leslie Combemale documentary, Gilda Sheppard, Kimonti Carter, motw, Movie of the Week, passion river films, Since I Been Down, three strikes laws

Since I Been Down is a profoundly emotional experience for those with compassion and concern for where America is in this moment, in terms of the rampant racial inequality and systemic racism continuing to poison the country. Writer/director Gilda Sheppard focuses on Kimonti Carter, who is changing the incarceration environment from the inside of the prison system.