Visions of Abolition: from critical resistance to a new way of life (DVD)

The documentary Vision of Abolition is a new feature length documentary about the prison industrial complex and the prison abolition movement.

Teil I: “Breaking down the Prison Industrial Complex” weaves together the voices of women caught in the criminal justice system, and leading scholars of prison abolition, examining the racial and gendered violence of the prison system. The film features the work of Susan Burton, a formerly incarcerated mother who established A New Way of Life, a group of transition homes for women coming home from prison in South Los Angeles (39 mins).

Part II “Abolition: Past Present and Future”, documents the recent history of the prison abolition movement through the organizing efforts of Critical Resistance and explores the meaning of abolitionist politics. By focusing on the collaboration between Critical Resistance and A New Way of Life, (known as the L.E.A.D. Project) the second half of the film unfolds a vision of abolition in practice (48 mins).

This documentary was designed as a teaching tool to expand knowledge about the history of the prison industrial complex and the prison abolition movement in the United States. The movie based on interviews, no violent scenes are shown, therefore it is good material for religion-,political science and/or social studies/ social scienceslessons.

Director/Writer/Producer: Setsu Shigematsu

Total length: 82 min.

Language: englisch

Subtitles: none

Region code: all regions

Format: NTCS

Cover: Cardboardcover