Biographical Documentary Profiling Former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin Debuts on North American VOD Platforms and DVD December 3, 2024
BEYOND BARS is a documentary about mass incarceration told through one person’s long struggle to challenge and change the system -- former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, the son of Weather Underground activists imprisoned when he was a baby. Chesa Boudin's journey from a childhood shaped by incarceration to a reformist DA fighting for restorative justice is a story of trauma, resilience and hope. Chesa Boudin was only 14 months old when his parents, former Weather Underground activists, were arrested and convicted for their role in a fatal robbery. BEYOND BARS follows Boudin’s profound journey as viewers witness the impact of parental incarceration through Chesa's eyes as he navigates a broken system and grapples with his identity. With searing honesty, BEYOND BARS traces Chesa's path from childhood struggles to becoming a voice for the children of the incarcerated and a trailblazing District Attorney fighting for reform. Intimate interviews and rare archival footage offer an unflinching look at the human toll of incarceration and the power of resilience. Through Chesa's battle for his parents' freedom and his efforts to transform the prison system, BEYOND BARS is a testament to the unbreakable bonds of family and the intergenerational fight for equality and restorative justice.
Directed by multiple Emmy-nominated television producer and film director Robert Greenwald, BEYOND BARS was produced by Casey Cooper Johnson and Robert Greenwald. The featured subjects include Chesa Boudin, Kathy Boudin, David Gilbert, Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dorhn, Zayd Ayers-Dorhn, and Kaylah Williams.
“The story of Chesa Boudin is a story of hope that will move and inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds,” said filmmaker Robert Greenwald. “From overcoming the trauma of visiting his parents in prison as a child, to fighting to free them and reform the criminal justice system – for Chesa Boudin, the personal is always political. The story of BEYOND BARS is a must watch documentary for all people who recognize that our criminal justice system is broken and an inspiring story that everyone can make a difference to make it better.”
Freestyle Digital Media negotiated the deal to acquire BEYOND BARS directly with the filmmakers and Alex Nohe of Blood Sweat Honey.
BEYOND BARS website: https://www.bravenewfilms.org/beyondbars
About Freestyle Digital Media
The digital distribution unit of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, Freestyle Digital Media, is a premiere multi-platform distributor with direct partnerships across all major cable, satellite, digital, and streaming platforms. Capitalizing on a robust infrastructure, proven track record, and a veteran sales team, Freestyle Digital Media is a true home for independent films. Recent releases include ALLSWELL IN NEW YORK starring Emmy award-winning actress Liza Colón-Zayas from the hit FX series THE BEAR, ALL HAPPY FAMILIES starring Josh Radnor and Rob Huebel, the drama based on a novel THE GHOST TRAP starring Zak Steiner from EUPHORIA and Greer Grammer of AWKWARD, and the Weekly World News horror-comedy THE ZOMBIE WEDDING. Other Freestyle Digital Media titles include THE ROAD DOG starring comedian Doug Stanhope, SURVIVE starring HBO’s GAME OF THRONES star Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins, the music documentary profiling blues guitar legends Jimmie Vaughan and Stevie Ray Vaughan, BROTHERS IN BLUES, DEAR ZOE starring Sadie Sink from the hit Netflix series STRANGER THINGS, Jessica Capshaw and Theo Rossi, the teen musical BEST SUMMER EVER featuring a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities, produced by Jamie Lee Curtis, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary Steenburgen, and Ted Danson, and THE WEDDING YEAR starring Sarah Hyland and Anna Camp.
For more information, visit:
www.allenmedia.tv
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Eric Peterkofsky
Allen Media Group / Freestyle Digital Media
eric@es.tv