ENTERTAINMENT:

'Views of Justice' Screenings and Panel Discussions at Creative Alliance on Oct. 20 and 27

SOURCE: Open Society Institute-Baltimore and Creative Alliance

Two documentary films offer insight into the complex American criminal justice system.

Creative Alliance at The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Avenue, will host the "Views of Justice" film series with two documentaries that offer insight into the complex American criminal justice system. The first film, "Deadline," to be shown on Oct. 20, is about the emotional and legal storm behind Illinois Governor George Ryan's 2003 decision to grant clemency to all 167 prisoners on death row, commuting their sentences to life without parole. The second film, to be shown on Oct. 27, is "Cruel and Unusual," about the lives of transgender prisoners who are born male, but live as women and are sentenced to men's prisons.

Sponsored by a grant from the Open Society Institute-Baltimore, the film series will feature post-screening panel discussions with filmmakers and experts.

After "Deadline," associate producer Angela Tucker will participate with Jane Henderson of Maryland Citizens Against State Executions; Kirk Bloodsworth, an exonerated Maryland death row inmate; and Shari Silberstein of Equal Justice USA. Local advocacy film producer Paul Santomenna of Megaphone Project will moderate. The Peace and Social Order Committee of the Stony Run Friends Meeting is co-sponsoring the screening.

After the screening of "Cruel and Unusual" on October 27, director Dan Hunt will participate in a discussion with Dr. Dana Beyer of the National Center for Transgender Equality; Z. Gabriel Arkles of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project; and Sandi Rawls, a transgender ex-offender. Local radio talk show host Anthony McCarthy will moderate. Equality Maryland is co-sponsoring the screening.

On both dates, doors open at 7 p.m. and screenings begin at 8 p.m.

In conjunction with the film series, an OSI-Baltimore-sponsored exhibit of death row images by acclaimed photographer Andrew Lichtenstein will be displayed at the Amalie Rothschild Gallery at the Creative Alliance from October 19 to October 29, 2005. A reception for the Moving Walls 8 exhibit will be held at 7:30 p.m. on October 20 in the Amalie Rothschild Gallery before the screening of "Deadline."

Over the next two years with support from OSI-Baltimore, the Creative Alliance at The Patterson will screen four films a year that explore the American criminal justice system. Filmmakers also will be invited to discuss their work at educational forums with experts. Tickets are $8 and $5 for Creative Alliance members. Advance tickets are available at Creative Alliance at The Patterson and missiontix.com. For more information, visit creativealliance.org or call 410-276-1651.

This story was published on October 19, 2005.