Post-Screening Q&As following: Fri Feb 17 with Producer Lance Kramer, Director Brandon Kramer and Senior Director of Membership with REFORM Alliance Britton Smith, moderated by Nick Laparra, Founder of Let's Give a Damn; Sat Feb 18 with Producer Lance Kramer, Director Brandon Kramer and VP of Political Strategy & National Director of Dream.org Janos Marton, moderated by Nick Laparra; Sun Feb 19 with Terrence Coffee BSW, MSW, Adjunct Lecturer, New York University; Mon Feb 20 with Betsy Jividen, former AUSA and Commissioner of Corrections, Steve Langford, retired Warden, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Dr. Jeri Kirby, Fairmont State University, and Charleen Justice, MAPS, moderated by Director Shawn Pelley and Reentry Essentials, Inc; Tue Feb 21 with Jumaane D Williams, Public Advocate, Terrance Coffie and Kathryn Barnier; Wed Feb 22 with Terrell Hall, Director, Tranformative In-Prison Working Group.
In a divided America, Van Jones controversially works across party lines on landmark criminal justice reform and a more humane response to America's addiction crisis. Attempting to be a bridge builder in a time of extreme polarization takes him deep into the inner workings of a divisive administration, internal debates within both parties, and the lives of frontline activists fighting for their communities.
Facing fierce opposition from both political parties in a climate where bipartisanship has become a dirty word, Jones and his team enlist the support of justice-impacted individuals, faith leaders, grassroots activists and cultural figures — including Kim Kardashian — to pass legislation that would fix some broken aspects of the justice system and bring thousands of incarcerated people home early. The bill’s champions immediately find themselves navigating a high-stakes game of political chess in Washington, D.C. Their quest brings them face-to-face with progressive champions like Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Senators Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, as well as conservative figures like U.S. Senator Rand Paul, Kellyanne Conway, Jared Kushner — and ultimately, Donald Trump himself.
While trying to pass a bipartisan bill through a deeply polarized Congress, Jones is condemned by the right for his progressive beliefs — and by the left for working with conservatives. The film reveals an intimate portrait of an activist’s isolation and internal struggles, what it takes to make change in a divided nation, and everyday people in both political parties drawn into a historic fight for freedom and justice.