In The 50, viewers are taken into the heart of a groundbreaking rehabilitation program developed by society's most marginalized individuals. Against the grim backdrop of prison overcrowding and rampant substance abuse, the film delves into how these individuals forged one of the most effective models of rehabilitation. Through a blend of real-life accounts and emotionally charged reenactments shot on 16mm film, The 50 captures the traumas endured and inflicted by these individuals, offering a poignant exploration of their journey toward redemption and societal reintegration, checking in a decade later. Selected by prestigious festivals like DOC NYC, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and Cleveland International Film Festival, The 50 promises a riveting exploration of resilience, redemption, and the power of transformative justice.
The 50 hooks you almost immediately and reels you in with excellent pacing and editing. Moment after moment leads you through the implementation of innovative therapy methods implemented by fellow inmates. This is one of the best prison documentaries I’ve seen in a while, diving deep into an innovative system of rehabilitation, looking at both the greater prison population and the individuals going through the program.
Library patrons and students interested in learning about parallel process rehabilitation will find the most interest in this film, but anyone interested in prisons and the justice system will want to see The 50. Its interviews are intimate, its fly-on-the-wall stylings are stunning and immerse the viewer in therapy sessions, and its themes are clear and well-explored. A stunning documentary from start to finish, The 50 would be a welcome addition to any documentary collection. Highly recommended.
Where does this film belong on public library shelves?
The 50 belongs alongside other titles that discuss rehabilitation, prisons, and therapy.
What sort of college instructor could use this title?
Any psychology professors teaching future therapists and those teaching about conditions in prisons will find the most classroom use in The 50.