Coe College hosting film series on impact of incarceration

Coe College recently was awarded the Iowa Humanities Project grant for its free-film discussion series.

The grant, from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs will support the college’s film discussion series, Lives Behind Bars.

The series is free and open to the public with the goal of creating conversation about the impact of incarceration on individuals and their communities. Support also has been provided by the Iowa Arts Council.

The Iowa Humanities Grant supports public projects that encourage contemplation, spark conversation and engage the community.

Gina Hausknecht, a professor of literature and creative writing, organized the series having experience teaching in Iowa prisons. Hausknecht will facilitate the first and final discussion of the series and other moderators will be members of the Coe College community.

“At a time when several facets of the criminal legal system are part of our civic discourse in Iowa, this public series will use a humanities-based approach to foster informed critical thinking about problems and solutions,” Hausknecht said. “The series as a whole will create a space for consideration of restorative and reparative alternatives to our current approaches to school discipline, community corrections and sentencing.”

The series will show four documentary films, bringing an array of perspectives on the experience of incarceration. All of the films being shown are widely available on streaming services and through local public libraries as well as being publicly screened.

Each film will be shown on a Sunday at 2 p.m. at Kesler Auditorium in Hickok Hall, followed by a discussion on the following Thursday at 7 p.m., also at Hickok Hall.

The first film and discussion will be around “13th” (2016), directed by Ava DuVernay. “13th” will be shown at 2 p.m. Sunday, and the 75-minute discussion for the film will then be held at 7 p.m. on March 31.

Films will be scheduled every other month, with the discussions taking place on the final Thursdays of May, July and September.

Reservations for the events in the series are requested but not required. Contact Beth Valenta at bvalenta@coe.edu or (319) 399-8523 to reserve a spot for an individual or group.

Comments: (319) 398-8255; gage.miskimen@thegazette.com