Project of the Day: A Look Into Incarceration in Documentary ‘A Place to Stand’
Here’s your daily dose of an indie film in progress; at the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.
In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
“A Place to Stand“
A Place to Stand is the story of Jimmy Santiago Baca’s transformation from illiterate convict to world renowned poet in the 1970s.
Elevator Pitch:
Jimmy Santiago Baca was a petty thief and a drug dealer when he was sentenced to five years in Arizona State Prison, one of the deadliest prisons in America. Baca began his incarceration violent, angry and illiterate, yet taught himself how to read and write, discovering a passion for poetry that ultimately saved his life.
A Place to Stand is inspired by Baca’s memoir of the same name, which has been called “elegant and gripping” (The Los Angeles Times) and “an astonishing narrative that affirms the triumph of the human spirit” (The Arizona Daily Star).
Production Team:
Director: Daniel Glick
Executive Producer: David Grubin
Cinematographer: Dyanna Taylor
Producer: Gabriel Baca
About This Production:
There are approximately 3 million Americans behind bars today. Incarceration rates are the highest they’ve ever been. But society, largely, has chosen ignorance over action, supporting mass incarceration and harsher punishment. As a result, prisoners are treated as sub-human; often leading to increased criminality.
To these men and women, Baca represents an alternative. He was able, through writing, to transcend his pain and profoundly shift his life’s context. His journey and ultimate success unequivocally demonstrate that at any time in our life, we can learn to look at ourselves differently and relate to our circumstances in a new way.
Current Status:
We have completed production and have a rough assembly of the film. We are fundraising to complete post production.
For more information and to support this project:
Documentary website
IndieGoGo Page
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