Prison Town, USA

Set amid arrests and subsequent trials surrounding the 2008 Republican National Convention, this portrait of two young activists caught in the web of an opportunistic mentor and a desperate justice system poignantly describes both the problems of power and the power of forgiveness and love.

In 2012, California voters approved Proposition 36, effectively repealing the state's notoriously harsh three-strikes law that had sentenced thousands of nonviolent offenders to a lifetime behind bars. But what does it mean to be released from prison after being sentenced to life? How does one begin to reintegrate into society? The Return depicts the struggles of two newly released former lifers as they deal with restoring relationships, avoiding personal triggers, finding meaningful employment, and managing the mental health problems which had previously contributed to their imprisonment.

The Pushouts focuses on the alarming rate of high school dropouts and the critical state of public education through the story of Victor Rios. Rios was a gang member in West Oakland who was headed for a life of incarceration when he met an inspirational teacher. Now a professor at UC Santa Barbara, he and his mentor dedicate their lives to motivating young Mexican and African-American teens to realize their potential.