Inthrive Film Festival

09/30/2026

Challenging opinions, connecting communities, celebrating incarceration survivors. We had an incredible time in the Shenandoah Valley with the Valley Justice Coalition

Coffee Hour conversation with Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community's Park Village residents. The Shenandoah Valley InThrive Film Festival...

09/30/2026

Date & Time: October 3, 2026 at 4:00 PM (Eastern Time)

Location: Harris Hall 101, Virginia Commonwealth University

Can the raw power of theater bridge the massive divide between an Ivy League campus and a jail cell?

It's Criminal is a deeply poignant feature documentary that tackles the stark economic and social inequities fracturing the United States. The film captures the life-changing journey of Dartmouth College students and incarcerated women who come together to write and perform an original play. Through raw and honest theater, they explore the painful, troubled paths that lead to prison, while also giving voice to the women's fragile, hard-fought visions for the future.

This transformational movie doesn't just ask us to rethink who is behind bars and why—it shows us how to heal the divide. As the students and the incarcerated women confront their own fears, prejudices, and profound differences, they do the difficult work of forging hard-won bonds of friendship. It's Criminal is a powerful testament to empathy, proving that when entirely separated communities finally learn to truly speak to each other, the results are nothing short of revolutionary.

Don't miss this profound exploration of justice, privilege, and the unifying power of human connection.

Free tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inthrive-film-festival-building-bridges-tickets-2002440852494

09/30/2026

Experience the transformative power of education in prison in two films then here from Virginians about their education journey in prison.

Join us at the VCU University Student Commons-Richmond Salons (2nd Floor) on Thursday, October 1, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM for the Inthrive Film Festival’s "Power of Education in Prison" program. This compelling session features two powerful documentaries exploring how higher education transforms lives both inside and outside the justice system:

Behind Our Walls: Inside a notorious Michigan prison, incarcerated men serving long and life sentences pursue degrees through the Calvin Prison Initiative. The film captures their profound resilience as they overcome deep racial, class, and generational divides to forge a unified brotherhood—proving that education can transform an environment built on punishment into a sanctuary of rehabilitation and second chances.
Inside Scholars: This inspiring documentary follows three formerly incarcerated individuals—Nurudeen, Nichole, and Kay—who discovered their limitless potential through college programs behind bars. Chronicling their transition back into society, the film highlights their extraordinary successes as community advocates, mentors, and students, demonstrating how access to learning inside is a vital catalyst for economic mobility and lasting impact on the outside.

Free tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inthrive-film-festival-the-power-of-education-in-prison-tickets-2001637312083

09/25/2026

Panel discussion at Mary Baldwin University

09/24/2026

09/24/2026

DUCC is excited to host part of the Inthrive Film Festival this Saturday!

Inthrive celebrates the voices and talents of incarceration survivors through film, storytelling, and community.

Join us at DUCC for Celebration & Community, featuring the film "Being Free".

📅 Saturday, September 26
⏰ 3:00–5:00 PM
📍 Divine Unity Community Church

Come connect, listen, and experience stories that challenge and inspire us. This event is FREE and open to the community!

Learn more about the Inthrive Film Festival below.

https://inthrivefilmfestival.org/shenandoah-valley

09/24/2026

If you're in the Shenandoah Valley join us for the closing celebration of our last festival of the 2025-26 season on Saturday, September 26!

DUCC is excited to host part of the Inthrive Film Festival this Saturday!

Inthrive celebrates the voices and talents of incarceration survivors through film, storytelling, and community.

Join us at DUCC for Celebration & Community, featuring the film "Being Free".

📅 Saturday, September 26
⏰ 3:00–5:00 PM
📍 Divine Unity Community Church

Come connect, listen, and experience stories that challenge and inspire us. This event is FREE and open to the community!

Learn more about the Inthrive Film Festival below.

https://inthrivefilmfestival.org/shenandoah-valley

09/23/2026

Thank you, WMRA!

Join us in the Shenandoah Valley through Saturday!

The Inthrive Film Festival showcases films made by and featuring people who have survived incarceration so they can tell their stories about life behind bars on their terms. Now in its third year, the festival started in Richmond and branched out to other parts of the country, with screenings this w...

09/10/2026

Stories from Reentry: A Free Documentary Event

True freedom isn't found just by walking out the prison gates—sometimes, it's waiting in the passenger seat of Freddie Nole's car.

Join us for a powerful evening of film and conversation exploring the raw, human realities of life after incarceration. Stories from Reentry is a free event centering on the deeply moving journey of one man who is changing lives, one ride at a time.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday, October 1
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: VCU's Harris Hall 101

Admission: Free

Featured Screening: The Second Life of Freddie Nole
When Freddie Nole drives to meet a newly released citizen, he isn’t just offering a ride home—he is offering unconditional support and a tangible path to permanent freedom. This intimate, vérité short documentary unfolds over the course of a single, transformative day. Part road trip, part buddy movie, the film follows the magnetic, compassionate Freddie as he guides a newly freed man through his overwhelming first steps back into society.

As you witness Freddie's quiet acts of generosity, a breathtaking revelation unfolds: this warm, affable grandfather spent 50 years behind bars for a mistake he made at 17. Having made this life-changing drive over sixty times to mentor men who are now defying national recidivism rates, Freddie's relentless return to those same prison doors isn't a tragic reminder of what he lost, but a triumphant reclamation of what he survived.

Exclusive Post-Screening Conversation
Don't just watch the story—meet the people living it. Following the screening, Dr. Dave Coogan will moderate a profound, in-person discussion featuring the documentary's star, Freddie Nole, alongside men featured in the book After Jail Before Freedom.

Come be part of this unforgettable night of resilience, redemption, and community connection.

FREE tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inthrive-film-festival-stories-from-reentry-tickets-2000524217788

09/07/2026

Join the Inthrive Film Festival's Opening Weekend Closing Celebration at Studio Two Three

Join the community celebration as we close out the opening weekend for the Inthrive Film Festival's 4th season.

Open yourself up to have your views challenged as you experience the incredible artistic talents of incarceration survivors!

Come for incredible films made by incarceration survivors.

Featured discussions with Tiffany Cruz and Rahsaan Thomas!

Connect with local arts orgs and non-profits led by or working with incarceration survivors.

Schedule

6:00 PM Doors Open/Tabling

6:30 PM Welcome

6:40 PM Painting Ourselves Into Society

7:00 PM Discussion with Rashaan Thomas from POIS

7:25 PM Break

7:35 PM Run It Back & So, Boom

8:05 PM Conversation with Tiffany Cruz (writer of Run It Back & So, Boom)

8:30 PM Closing remarks

Free tickets at: www.eventbrite.com/e/inthrive-film-festival-opening-weekend-closing-celebration-tickets-1998902427971