Half Moon Bay Odd Fellows proudly presents SAN QUENTIN FILM NIGHT, celebrating the work of formerly incarcerated filmmakers, who learned their skills in San Quentin’s Media Lab.
The mission for screening these films is to normalize the inclusion of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people in the entertainment industry in order to support access to equal opportunities.
All proceeds will go to the filmmakers to support them with resources during their transition and help launch their efforts to pursue careers in film.
Some of these short films premiered at the inaugural San Quentin Film Festival in October 2024.
Total running time: 88 minutes.
Join us for a Q&A with these filmmakers following the screening of their films.
UNHOUSED AND UNSEEN
Directed by Dante D. Jones
Two currently incarcerated survivors of homelessness tell their stories of struggles, resilience and triumph through the cycle of incarceration and homelessness.
BLUE PLUS RED EQUALS PURPLE
Directed by Brian Asey Gonsoulin
An attempt to try to heal the years of decay of miserable urban life after red-lining, racial policing, and no economic stimulus in Black communities.
FRIENDLY SIGNS
Directed by Rahsaan “New York” Thomas
A 2024 Atlanta Film Festival pick, Friendly Signs is the story of Tommy Wickerd’s struggle to start a sign language class inside a state prison.
EVERY SECOND
Directed by Antwan “Banks” Williams
Every Second is a poignant short film that delves into the life of Reese, a man who has just been released from prison but finds himself struggling with the reality that he will never be free from his experience of prison.
FINDING MÁ
Directed by Thanh Tran
After 20 years apart, a Vietnamese American family shattered by the foster care and prison systems reunites to heal old wounds and rebuild their family, starting with finding their unhoused mother in the streets of Sacramento.
SHOEBOX
Directed by D’Angelo Louis
Shoebox follows a teenage drug dealer whose mother tries to explain to him the impact of making right or wrong decisions through the letters she sends him. Overcome by abuse, he is forced to choose between pulling the trigger or not in an effort to protect himself. In turn, we are split between two realities of fate – the dream or a dream deferred.
