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The second annual Inthrive Film Festival took place this week (September 24-25) at the Gateway Film Center in Columbus, Ohio. Here’s more on this event:
“The Inthrive Film Festival is an annual, non-profit event started in 2024 by [David] Smith following his release from prison. … Smith said the films are meant to bring awareness to the challenges formerly incarcerated people face upon their return to society.
“Many of the films featured during the festival are documentaries and short stories, among other genres. Though Smith himself has not produced or directed a film, he hopes to create a space where the festival’s filmmakers are able to share their work with a broader audience.
I hope [true crime fans] will come and have that narrative shift.
“Smith said the festival allows formerly incarcerated people to express their emotions and the struggles they faced during or after their sentences. All of the films either feature a formerly incarcerated person or they’re directed and produced by one.
“‘Inthrive Film Festival is valuable to incarceration survivors because it shows you there is worth in your story,’ Smith said in an email. ‘It helps you imagine what is possible as you move forward in life.’
“Smith said he managed to find work after his release from prison, but even after working with an unnamed company for a few years, he realized just how impactful the label ‘felon’ is on the formerly incarcerated.
“‘They knew about my past, they knew everything about me,’ Smith said. ‘But a co-worker had complained about working with a felon and they let me go on the spot.’ …
“‘That was my wake up call to say, ‘All right, what can I do now to help change this narrative about incarceration survivors so that we can remove these barriers to successful reentry?’’ Smith said.
“Smith said he made sure someone’s history would not interfere with the festival’s mission to change the overall perception of the formerly incarcerated. …
“Films screening at this year’s festival include Cell Blocks to Mountain Tops, a multimedia podcast and video series about how the U.S. addresses violence and justice; Finding the Light, which follows Donna Hylton [Leading with Conviction™ 2015], an activist for formerly incarcerated women; and Little April, which is a mix of fictional and documentary footage following April Grayson and the youth justice system. …
“Smith said he hopes the festival can help shift public perception, even if only slightly.
“‘If you’re someone who watches Law & Order or listens to true crime podcasts and you have that one very dramatic narrative in your mind,’ Smith said. ‘I hope those folks will come and have that narrative shift, or if you’re an incarceration survivor, I hope you come and feel lifted by these inspiring stories.’”
Read the full story at TheLantern.com.
NOTE: Inthrive has upcoming events in South Bend, IN (Sept. 27), and Richmond, VA (Oct. 3-6).
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