America ReFramed

Indie Films Series / 7 Seasons

America ReFramed brings to life compelling stories, personal voices and experiences that illuminate the contours of our ever-changing country. Since 2012, the series has premiered 170 films - more than half helmed by female makers and a third credited to BIPOC makers - centering stories of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, the formerly incarcerated, veterans, immigrants and more.

Watch Latest: S12 E6

1h 12m / TV-PG

What These Walls Won't Hold | A Second Chance

1m 9s / TV-PG

Lonnie Morris once said "Me and my families, they really believe, you know, that I'm getting out of prison but it's really difficult for me to get out of prison. So I'm stuck in this kind of no man land of trying to be honest and truthful with them but not creating any illusions." But now the man incarcerated at California's San Quentin State Prison has a second chance on the outside.

What These Walls Won't Hold | Trailer

1m 8s / TV-PG

Transcending the grim realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, Adamu Chan's WHAT THESE WALLS WON'T HOLD paints a portrait of resilience and hope blossoming within San Quentin State Prison. Chan, formerly incarcerated himself, offers an insider's view delving into his own journey towards freedom, while amplifying the voices of his community and their loved ones on both sides of the prison walls.

What These Walls Won't Hold | Preview

30s / TV-PG

Transcending the grim realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, Adamu Chan's WHAT THESE WALLS WON'T HOLD paints a portrait of resilience and hope blossoming within San Quentin State Prison. Chan, formerly incarcerated himself, offers an insider's view delving into his own journey towards freedom, while amplifying the voices of his community and their loved ones on both sides of the prison walls.

A Woman on the Outside | A Second Chance at Freedom Isn't Easy

57s / TV-PG

Jarvae Scott, who is working with horses in the city of Philadelphia, talks about the lure of returning to prison after having served many years. Jarvae recognizes the support given by his mother, Crystal, and his sister, Kristal, who is caring for his son Nyvae, and wants to stay on the outside but knows his time may be limited as he understands that there are major influences on the streets.

A Woman on the Outside | A Son Waiting for His Father's Return

16s / TV-PG

Nyvae, a boy waiting for his father's return from prison, writes down his hopes and dreams for their life together even after time lost. His aunt, Kristal Bush, has been caring for her nephew and supporting Nyvae's father and her brother, Jarvae, since his incarceration. There's a lot of love but also challenges when a young boy is becoming a young man and in need of a parental figure in his life.

A Woman on the Outside | Preview

30s / TV-PG

After watching nearly every man in her life disappear into prison, Kristal Bush channels her struggle into reuniting other Philadelphia families divided by incarceration. But when her father and brother come home after decades behind bars, she confronts the greatest challenge yet - can she unite her own family without losing herself?

A Woman on the Outside | Trailer

1m 29s / TV-PG

After watching nearly every man in her life disappear into prison, Kristal Bush channels her struggle into reuniting other Philadelphia families divided by incarceration. But when her father and brother come home after decades behind bars, she confronts the greatest challenge yet - can she unite her own family without losing herself?

A Woman on the Outside | First Visit

1m 11s / TV-PG

On the way to driving women and children for a family visit at a prison, Kristal Bush shares her first time of going to see her incarcerated father. Bush's memories are both vivid and "blurry" but paint a picture of a difficult childhood without her father.

A Woman on the Outside | A Father and Daughter Separated

32s / TV-PG

Kristal Bush's father, Victor Bush, talks about his time served and the punishment of being away from his family, specifically his daughter. Victor, who has been incarcerated for most of Kristal's life since the early 1990s, must now build a different bridge with his whole family while finding his own way on the outside.

A Woman on the Outside | Mother, Daughter and Mental Health

38s / TV-PG

Crystal Speaks and her daughter, Kristal Bush, are the women on the outside. As the mother of two incarcerated sons, Crystal does what she can for them including spending the money she makes, plus hours on the road, to visit them. The two women remain strong through the sentences of the brothers and Kristal's father but it has taken its toll on their physical, mental and emotional health.

Liberated Lives | Trailer

1m 30s / TV-PG

A collection of films showcasing stories of individuals transitioning from incarceration to reintegration and the experiences of those who support them. Each documentary offers a unique perspective on the lives of formerly incarcerated Americans, exploring themes of societal change and the power of the human spirit.

The Cost of Inheritance | Callie House & Reparations History

1m 19s / TV-PG

Beginning in the 1800s, the reparations movement started with Mrs. Callie House, who led the National Ex-Slave Mutual Relief, Bounty and Pension Association. Historian Mary Frances Berry tells of House's efforts to organize Black Americans to ask for compensation from the government and the backlash against her that would not slow the activist down until her death.

The Cost of Inheritance | The Wealth Gap of Black Americans

2m 37s / TV-PG

Through her ancestry, the harm they created in slavery, and the privilege it has granted her, Lotte Lieb Dula found Briayna Cuffie in her work on reparations. The two work together to tell their own stories and teach Americans about what they can do to repair their history. What they also share is the wealth gap between Black and white Americans that began with slavery and continues today.

The Cost of Inheritance | Georgetown Univ. 272 Descendants

2m 11s / TV-PG

For the GU 272 Descendants Association, the sale of each of their ancestors as slaves is personal. They gathered together to confront the ugly truth, including meeting with the Maryland Province Jesuits and Georgetown University, who were involved in this history, and explaining why they deserve representation in conversations like Georgetown's Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation Working Group.

The Cost of Inheritance | Trailer

1m / TV-PG

THE COST OF INHERITANCE, an America ReFramed special, explores the complex issue of reparations in the U.S. using a thoughtful approach to history, historical injustices, systemic inequities, and critical dialogue on racial conciliation. Through personal narratives, community inquiries, and scholarly insights, it aims to inspire understanding of the scope and rationale of the reparations debate.

The Cost of Inheritance | Preview

30s / TV-PG

THE COST OF INHERITANCE, an America ReFramed special, explores the complex issue of reparations in the U.S. using a thoughtful approach to history, historical injustices, systemic inequities, and critical dialogue on racial conciliation. Through personal narratives, community inquiries, and scholarly insights, it aims to inspire understanding of the scope and rationale of the reparations debate.

The Cost of Inheritance | A Reparation of Land

2m 50s / TV-PG

In 2019, Sarah Eisner discovered acres of land that her ancestor, George Adam Keller, granted to enslaved Zeke Quarterman in the 1800s. But the title of ownership was never legally given. Eisner connected with Quarterman's descendant, Randy, who at first doubted the proposition, and they are now working together to right history's wrongs.

In Search of Bengali Harlem | Preview

30s / TV-PG

As a teen, Alaudin Ullah was swept up by the energy of hip-hop and rebelled against his Bangladeshi roots. Now a playwright contending with post-9/11 Hollywood’s Islamophobia, he sets out to tell his parents’ stories. IN SEARCH OF BENGALI HARLEM tracks his quest from mid-20th-century Harlem to Bangladesh, unveiling intertwined histories of South Asian Muslims, African Americans, and Puerto Ricans.

By Water | The Idea

2m 6s / TV-PG

A voicemail from filmmaker Iyabo Kwayana's brother sparks inspiration for what would become BY WATER. The message walks us through the idea and the memories they share, and provides an understanding of her brother.

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