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Rehabilitation (10)
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After Prison What?Ronald Weyman 1951 11 minCharles Brown can't find a job because he has a criminal record. Day after day he answers the want ads, but employers will not hire an ex-convict because they regard him with suspicion. Doubts and fears beset Charles--he is sincere in his desire to work at the trade he learned in prison and yet society will not believe him. Finally, the John Howard Society steps in, securing a job for him where he can take his place in society and regain his self-respect. -
First Stories - Walking AloneGerald Auger 2007 6 minThis short film is an edgy, searing portrait of an ex-gang member trying to make peace with his past. Rapper Shawn Bernard raps about the various struggles in his life, the choices he's made and their consequences, while poignantly recounting the loss of his sister. First Stories is an emerging filmmaker program for Indigenous youth which produced 3 separate collections of short films from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Produced in association with CBC, APTN, SCN, SaskFilm and MANITOBA FILM & SOUND. e an impressive debut - one wrought with emotion and hope.
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The Free OnesNicolas Lévesque 2020 1 h 34 minThe Free Ones is a full-length documentary feature which shows us how four detainees are dealing with the end of their prison sentence, in a sawmill. Can a factory job help them to make the necessary transformation and become free men? Hidden from society’s view and through meetings with their instructors, psychotherapists and other participants, we accompany Samuel, Pierrot, Fred and Steve talk about their hopes and fears during this six-month transition period.
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Listen Listen ListenBarbara Greene 1976 1 h 22 minThis film is about a controversial educational community in southwestern Ontario where people of all ages come, either freely or referred by the courts, psychiatric wards and training schools. The film focusses on the "referrals," and their common struggle to instill new meaning into their lives.
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NCR: Not Criminally ResponsibleJohn Kastner 2013 1 h 39 minDirected by John Kastner, this feature documentary about violence, mental illness, and the rights of victims tells the story of a troubled young man who stabbed a complete stranger 6 times in a crowded shopping mall while gripped by psychosis. Twelve years later, his victim, who miraculously survived, is terrified to learn that he’s out, living in the community under supervision. He’s applying for an absolute discharge, and if he succeeds, he’ll no longer be required to take the anti-psychotic drugs that control his mental illness. With unprecedented access to the patient, the victim, and the mental institution, the film looks at both sides of the debate and puts a human face on the complex ethical issues raised.
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NCR: Not Criminally Responsible (Short Version)John Kastner 2013 51 minWhile gripped by psychosis, a troubled young man stabs a complete stranger six times in a crowded shopping mall. Declared not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder, the young man is confined to a forensic mental health institution. NCR: Not Criminally Responsible offers a timely and provocative examination of violence and mental illness, and the rights of victims. With unprecedented access to the patient, the victim, and the mental institution, the film looks at both sides of the debate and puts a human face on the complex ethical issues raised.
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Out of Mind, Out of SightJohn Kastner 2014 1 h 27 minThis feature documentary profiles four residents of the Brockville Mental Health Centre, a forensic psychiatric hospital for people who have committed violent crimes. Four patients—two men and two women—struggle to gain control over their lives so they can return to a society that often fears and demonizes them. Shrouded in stigma, institutions like this one are places into which patients disappear from public view for years.
Four-time Emmy winner John Kastner was granted unprecedented access to the Brockville facility for 18 months, allowing 46 patients and 75 staff to share their experiences with stunning frankness. -
The TicketFergus McDonell 1958 30 minJoe Faber, imprisoned at the age of nineteen on a charge of theft with violence, learns a trade and earns his parole half-way through his sentence. Through the John Howard Society he finds a job in a machine shop and all goes well until he is suddenly confronted by the man he had robbed. He accuses Joe of being an escaped convict and, discouraged, Joe quits his job. Fortunately, with the support of the John Howard Society and his employer he is able to overcome this setback and return to his new life.
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The Wild Horse RedemptionJohn Zaritsky 2008 52 minAt a prison in the high desert foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, hardened criminals are taught the training methods of ‘horse whisperers’ and given 90 days to tame wild mustangs taken from the herd that roams government lands. Failure means one more defeat for the inmate; success could save both lives. Most of the inmates who volunteer for this unique rehabilitation program have never ridden a horse before.
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WaseskunSteve Patry 2016 1 h 21 minFilmed in cinéma vérité style, this feature-length doc follows a group of incarcerated men with troubled pasts as they undergo treatment based on Indigenous philosophy at the Waseskun Healing Center. Director Steve Patry spent a full year with these men, gaining their trust and confidence. The result is a remarkable and gripping film about learning to overcome suffering and finding balance.
