About This Film

Groundbreaker
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Festival Year: 2023
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Film Type: Feature
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Animated: No
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Filmed In: USA
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English Subtitles: No
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Production Year: 2022
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Captions: None

Film Overview

The staggering and inspiring true story of the 50 men, all serving life sentences inside California’s overcrowded prison system, who joined a one-of-a-kind program to become substance abuse counselors for their fellow inmates. —M.G.With the California State Prison system in crisis due to overcrowding and drug abuse, an innovative solution is brought forth: to rehabilitate prisoners serving life terms and train them to become substance abuse counselors for other inmates. To start, 50 inmates are chosen to test the program, giving these men the opportunity to not only turn their lives around, but also to change the lives of fellow inmates suffering from substance abuse disorder. Highlighting the valiant efforts of the Offender Mentor Program and telling the stories of the first participants, THE 50 delves into the backstories of these men, their paths to prison, and their roads to redemption. —G.S. GUEST(S) ARE SCHEDULED TO BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR Q&A

Film Contact: Safespace Pictures

Ohio Premiere

Cast & Crew

Directed By

Brenton Gieser

Produced By

Traci Lewis, Brenton Gieser, Estevan Padilla, Colette Kessler, Audrey Gloeckner-Kalousek

Cinematographers

Tony Mac, Joshua Pausanos, Estevan Padilla

Editors

Steven Dupré, Brenton Gieser, Hamilton Henson