History and/or experience proves that perception can be an asset or a detractor. It speaks to the former when a potentially perilous situation is avoided but can also lead to unwise judgments elsewhere. The word “convict” carries with it a negative connotation and deservedly so, as these individuals willfully broke the law. They’re not all monsters, however, and many wouldn’t mind speaking their minds to keep others from making the same mistakes they did. Two-time Grammy winner Todd “Speech” Thomas—co-founder of the hip-hop group Arrested Development—amplifies such voices in the new film “16 Bars.”
The documentary is directed by Samuel Bathrick (“200 Miles”) and executive produced by Joe Lamont—a one-time member of the rock bands Steeplechase and Shelter—and Eric Michels. Tennyson Jackson, Garland Carr, De’Vonte James, and Anthony Johnston join Thomas and Bathrick as the movie’s music contributors. Additionally, Bathrick even immersed himself in the project’s subject matter to the point of spending one night during filming in jail.
Here’s the synopsis:
16 BARS offers a rare glimpse at the human stories and songs locked away in our nation’s jails and prisons. The documentary follows a unique rehabilitation effort in a Virginia jail that encourages inmates to write and record original music. In the jail’s makeshift recording studio, four men collaborate to produce an album with Grammy-winner Todd “Speech” Thomas of Arrested Development. As the creative process unfolds, these incarcerated artists must confront the traumas of their past, and music becomes the key to unlocking a new chapter in their lives.
“16 Bars” is set to premiere in New York City on November 8, in Los Angeles on November 15, and in other cities thereafter. Check out the trailer below and witness something beautiful come from one of the unlikeliest of places.