They Call Us Monsters A Documentary Film Review 'The Call Us Monsters' is a documentary film in which the filmmakers are granted access to the Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar California. He speaks with renewed hope about providing his friends at the juvenile hall with a larger-than-life example of the success that they can aspire to achieve, transforming himself into a heroic figure on par with the "blue people in 'Avatar.'" I was more critical than anything, but I think that thats just the person I was at that time., Jarad:Yes, I was given the opportunity to watch the documentary and it was uncomfortable at first watching myself. All rights reserved. Unrated Starring Allegra Acosta, Nate Corddry, Gabriel Cowan. What TV and movies do you watch in there? Stars: Nora Kirkpatrick, Nate Corddry, Ernesto Hernndez, Allegra Acosta, Joel Anderson, Richard Bloom, Steven Fernandez, Ernesto Hernandez, Scott Budnick, Mike Camacho, Antonia Casas R, Yesenia Castro, Gabriel Cowan, Darrell J Edwards Jr, Darrell J Edwards Sr, Juan Gamez, Kath What other stories would you like to tell in film or writing? I was raised by the juvenile system thanks to a mother who really didnt wanna be a mom anymore and thats putting it nicely They show Cowan a chair in a cell and Antonio says, King George sat here, and Juan laughs and makes a fart joke. The Film. Grappling with tough questions about what it means to convict a young teenager to a lifetime in prison without diminishing or excusing the violent crimes which these kids are accused of, They. We've posted their answers below, and also included the original letters if you'd like to see an authentically handwritten. She weeps as she talks about the harrowing moment in which she thought she was going to die. Watch on. [2] [3] Premise [ edit] Written By. Are you still interested in screenwriting and filmmaking and would you try to do that again even though youre incarcerated? 1.7K Likes, 32 Comments. 1 They Call us Monsters, for me, was more than just another Netflix documentary. These are perfect examples of the way the justice system has decided to treat young men who commit violent crimes as adults. Ben Lear makes his directorial debut with "They Call Us Monsters," a searing but sensitive documentary following the experiences of juvenile offenders through the justice system.His father, Norman, used the form of the sitcom to hold a mirror up to American culture, but Ben takes a more direct approach with his non-fiction work, and the intuitive observation displayed in this film shows . He receives a letter from Jarad. All three boys have children. I must say God is good despite where I came from, God has me living in the now looking forward and learning from the past. 5 Heartbreaking Facts From They Call Us Monsters Doc on Latino Teens Facing Life in Jail. Read more, Copyright 2023, Juvenile Justice Information Exchange. 2023 Independent Television Service (ITVS). come up for parole in 20-25 years, instead of the 80 or 90 years he would have had with a 160-year sentence. Their task is to create a screenplay that will be produced outside of the prison by their teacher. After watching the documentary They Call Us Monsters at the University of Redlands Orton Center last Thursday, I was left with these questions. Ted Bundy, a good looking, well-educated monster, moved around the country killing at least 30 women in the 1970s, and for a time, he was the most wanted man in Colorado.. Bundy abducted and killed a 23-year old nurse who lived in Aspen. The teacher, Gabriel Cowan (also a producer of the film), leads a workshop at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles. It's a High Security Compound in which we're introduced to four juvenile inmates: Jarad Nava arrested at 16 and facing 200 years to life for . With powerful subject matter and masterful conceptualization, the film was captivating, each scene leaving me eager to find out how the story and those featured in it would develop. PBS Independent Lens airs the film on Monday, May 22. I have worked in the juvenile system for 20 years. I got married to a beautiful amazing woman and we have two daughters, ones three, the second a [little] over one year. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. Cast and crew Ben Lear Director Jarad Nava Juan Gamez Antonio Hernandez Darrell Edwards Additional information Directors Ben Lear Studio The Orchard Subtitles English (CC) Released year 2017 Duration 1 h 21 min Genres Documentary Foreign/Independent Size 4.67 GB (1080p HD) 2.18 GB (720p HD) 1.65 GB (SD) 35 Likes, TikTok video from Antonio Hernnde4490 (@antoniohernandez0220). Justice is not to seek retribution or eye for an eye, but there were homicides what they did and must pay in that sense. Meet the Monsters: Documentary Looks at California Juvenile Debate. They Call US Monsters Where Are They Now? Im not that 17 or 18-year-old boy anymore. I dont usually watch TV shows like that, but I do like The Big Bang Theory, The X-Files, American Ninja Warrior, I catch them from time to time. [He adds that nothing hes watched has inspired him as far as doing his own film.]. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to watch the film, as it provided me insight into the lives of an often-forgotten part of the population, educated me on the debate, about juvenile justice reform, and left me with a hunger to learn more. Im a believer in the parole process, Lear says. ", But then, Jarad counters, No, Im not scared of the dark., Seems like youre avoiding the question, Cowan replies. When Hernandez talks to the filmmakers at home, there are toddlers strewn all . Director Ben Lear Stars Allegra Acosta Joel Anderson (archive footage) Richard Bloom (archive footage) Theres not only capacity for change, theres also that oft-forgotten glimmer of a thing called hope. People who are trying through art help these kids deal with the trauma that they have gone through.. Cowan, who also happens to be one of the films producers, is the first person to teach a screenwriting class with InsideOUT Writers, a non-profit organization whose mission is both to use creative writing as a catalyst for personal transformation and to reduce the juvenile recidivism rate by providing services for formerly incarcerated youth. The proposed bill. To their advocates, theyre kids. 7 talking about this. Are you allowed to watch anything? sonido original - joxls . In California, juveniles between the ages of 14 and 17 can be tried as adults and receive sentences longer than their natural life expectancy. Help bring programs like Independent Lens to your PBS station. Meanwhile, the boys wrote a screenplay, which their teacher, Gabriel Cowan, shot and edited into a 15-minute short, Los. The film-within-a-film structure of They Call Us Monsters replicates the repetitive nature of these very systemic contradictions that the boys face and endure, but in a way that allows for reflection as well as an understanding of the need for continued awareness and advocacy. Their convictions range from charges of attempted murder to first degree murder, and slowly each boy's character and the story of how he ended up in the compound is revealed. Prior to his imprisonment, Antonio was an honor roll student and he seemed like the perfect student up until his arrest. about brain development in teenagers that found the part of the brain that regulates judgment, decision-making and impulse control doesnt fully form until a person is in their 20s. To their critics, they're monsters. Capturan en Altavista al delincuente Nelson Antonio Hernndez, alias El Maligno. 2017. They Call Us Monsters. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Stars: Nora Kirkpatrick, Nate Corddry, Ernesto Hernndez, Allegra Acosta, Joel Anderson, Richard Bloom, Steven Fernandez, Ernesto Hernandez, Scott Budnick, Mike Camacho, Antonia Casas R, Yesenia Castro, Gabriel Cowan, Darrell J Edwards Jr, Darrell J Edwards Sr, Juan Gamez, Kath Learhad been visiting "The Compound," a high-security facility where Los Angeles houses its most violent juvenile criminals. Juvenile court judges had made that decision. Jarad Nava and Antonio Hernandez (Hernandez is released partway . Juan:I find screenwriting and filmmaking very interesting, [e]specially for the power you can have of telling a story and raising awareness about certain topics. Meet Juan, Jarad, and Antonio, all in their teens, all facing decades in prison. Read more, EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE POLICY Their parents grew up in identical conditions before them and know nothing of survival in an "acceptable" way because they have NEVER been given instruction. "They Call Us Monsters," directed by Ben Lear (Norman Lear's son), might seem like a straightforward advocacy documentary. Ya disponible en todas las plataformas digitales junto, as de esta manera fue llevado ala justicia y ser presentado ante los tribunales con el fin de que pague con crcel todos los crmenes cometidos/los angelitos que no hacen nada. This scene makes it into the final documentary, in which Learbraids together footage from the class with clips from the fictional film that the teens wrote. Juan, Jarad and Antonio, all young teens, face decades in prison. SALON is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon.com, LLC. It is true that they are children but they commited adult and serious crimes. To see the short film, "Los," written by Juan, Jarad, and Antonio, visit InsideOUT Writers. Antonio, Jarad and Juan are the subjects of the documentary "They Call Us Monsters," BMP Films The issue of juveniles tried as adults in our criminal justice system is a difficult one, and the . They Call Us Monsters doesnt shy from the consequences of the violence the prisoners were accused of (we meet a paralyzed victim of a shooting), even as it suggests that the system from a state senator who warns of mini-Charlie Mansons to lawyers resigned to stiff sentences proceeds almost mechanically. Do they deserve a second chance? TikTok video from Antonio hernandez (@edgar_heernadez). Maybe it takes 15 years. Year. 2023 Independent Television Service (ITVS). And in 2016, state voters approved a ballot measure that takes the decision on whether a teen should stand trial as an adult away from prosecutors and puts it in the hands of a juvenile court judge. HD. The prison has a channel in which they play some of the new movies coming outso we watch about everything and anything that tells a good story. Yes, they have a lot of free time on their hands, but that didnt guarantee theyd be comfortable writing back to us, to answer questions about their experience making the film and what theyve been up to since. As the screenwriting classes progress, Jarad, Anthony, and Juan become close, and they develop a bond with the screenwriting teacher. While the gravity of their crimes is great, these young men are still simply teenagers. Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. Antonio was being charged for 2 attempted murders and facing 90 years to life. Premiered May 22, 2017 Directed by Ben Lear Three young violent offenders learn screenwriting in one of LA's high-security detention centers. Whats going on inside these households, schools, and streets? Id love to come and speak to these kids at the possibilitys they can have You have to turn your life around to get parole. Im two semesters away from obtaining an AA in Business & Technology. Juan:We are allow[ed] to watch TV, we can have our own [set] in the cell. He was booked on . Lear, who released Lillian as an album, partnered with Plastic Pollution Coalition and 4Gyres to raise awareness for plastic pollution. Another, Juan, who joined a gang before his 13th birthday, faces 90. They Call Us Monsters 83% HD CC Documental 1h 21 minutos 2017 Juan, Jarad and Antonio, all between 14 and 16, face decades in prison. They Call Us Monsters 2016 Not Rated 1 h 22 m IMDb RATING 7.0 /10 654 YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 1:42 1 Video 4 Photos Documentary Legislators debate legislation that allows for adult charges for juvenile offenders. In a world where children grow up sleeping on the floor, numerous families crammed into a two-bedroom apartment, barely receiving enough sustenance to stay alive, these kids begin life with nothing but survival instincts. 7.0 1 h 21 min 2016 X-Ray 16+. Halfway through the class, Antonio returns to juvenile court and is released with time served but, back in the neighborhood, quickly falls into the same patterns of drug use and gang life that led to his incarceration in the first place. Im guessing people probably think were still in the same mindset, and doing the same stuff. https://redlandsalert.com/. Before watching They Call Us Monsters, I knew little to nothing about the issue of justice for juveniles under California Senate Bill 260, a law that went into effect in 2014 that gives a second chance to most people who were under the age of 18 at the time of their crime. 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