Since the beginning of the War on Drugs, the number of women in U.S. prisons has increased over 800%. The majority are mothers. Against the backdrop of a Midwestern state battling industrial decline and an opioid epidemic, APART (dir. Jennifer Redfearn) offers an intimate portrait of three women incarcerated on drug-related charges who face the challenge of mothering their children first from prison and then after release. With the help of a unique re-entry program run by Malika, an advocate formerly incarcerated in the same prison, the women lean on each other to find the strength and support to rebuild their lives and relationships with their children. Counselors and instructors teach employment and life skills and help unpack the traumas of living in the wake of addiction and longing for distant loved ones. By highlighting the women’s investment in their own futures and in one another, APART also offers a wider indictment of incarceration in America, underscoring the ways institutions and systems all too often prioritize punishment and discipline over healing.
"A powerful portrait of human resilience, APART is both a devastating conversation-starter about a prison system convicting women at double the rate of men and an opioid epidemic that threatens to ruin an entire class of Americans, all while having a backbone of hope thanks to the enthralling portraits painted by director Redfearn." CriterionCast
"Powerfully personal story" PBS
"Puts a humanizing face on a population often badly stereotyped as only volatile and dangerous." POV Magazine
"Explores themes of redemption and hope and regaining trust with one's families and communities to rebuild lives and combat stigmas" Cullen Lutz Panhandle PBS
"An intimate portrait of motherhood from behind prison walls" WNYC
"A touching portrait of enduring motherhood and earned second chances." Cleveland International Film Festival
"...What makes a movie like Apart so rare then, is that women both in and then outside the system tell you what it's like in real time - and offer a story of success, drive, creativity, and shared support." Independent
Citation
Main credits
Redfearn, Jennifer (film director)
Redfearn, Jennifer (film producer)
Metzger, Tim (film producer)
Other credits
Cinematography, Tim Metzger; editing, Rabab Haj Yahya, Francisco Bello; music, Morgan Kibby.