For Venida, For Kalief

FOR VENIDA, FOR KALIEF debuts the poetry of Venida Brodnax Browder, mother of Kalief Browder- an African-American teenager who inspired incarceration reform in the United States. It is not just a film about incarceration, but one that is about giving a complex humanity to people and communities plagued by these issues. The film is an intentional weaving of verité, poetic visuals, rare archival imagery of 1970s New York, and most importantly, deep emotions. The film is a tender journey and exploration into the past, present and future, and delivers nuance and understanding about the long vicious cycle of mass incarceration over the last 50 years. It culminates in the contemporary movement to transform Rikers Island – one of the world’s most notorious jails – into a renewable energy center. This film intertwines spirituality and advocacy, while crafting a cinematic experience that re-imagines the “criminal justice” as a poetic collage.