The title of Ava DuVernay’s extraordinary and galvanizing documentary refers to the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.” The progression from that second qualifying clause to the horrors of mass criminalization and the sprawling American prison industry is laid out by DuVernay with bracing lucidity. With a potent mixture of archival footage and testimony from a dazzling array of activists, politicians, historians, and formerly incarcerated women and men, DuVernay creates a work of grand historical synthesis.
This one-time special screening includes audio description. February is Black History Month in Canada and the USA.
The VocalEye virtual lobby opens at 6:30 pm Pacific Time for some pre-show mingling with host Amy Amantea. The pre-show introduction will begin at 6:45 pm and the film begins at 7 pm. The running time is approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. Join us afterward for conversation and a prize draw.
Register for your VocalEye Zoom invitation by contacting events@vocaleye.ca or call 604-364-5949. Please let us know where you’re from and if you identify as a member of the blind/partially sighted community or as a sighted supporter. This one-time registration gives you access to all upcoming Virtual VocalEye events.
“fiercely intelligent prison documentary…packed with ideas and information” –The Guardian
