Decatur Shorts Docs Film Festival Screening: Common Good Atlanta

308 Clairemont Ave.,Decatur GA 30030

01 May, 2022

Description

The Decatur Short Docs Festival showcases short documentaries about people and places in our community and the South. COVID-19 safety protocols in place. Scroll for details. Join us for an in-person screening of Common Good Atlanta: Breaking Down the Walls of Mass Incarceration. After the film, a talkback will include program organizers Sarah Higinbotham and Bill Taft, as well as Common Good alumni. This event is free and open to the public, but registration on Eventbrite is required. COVID-19 safety protocols and requirements will be in place. SCROLL FOR DETAILS. About the Film: In 2008, Sarah Higinbotham, a Ph.D. student at Georgia State University, wanted to teach a literature class in a Georgia prison. But she soon discovered that no college programs existed in Georgia prisons at the time. So, she started one. Fast forward 14 years. Today, an all-volunteer group of over 70 faculty from six universities have reached over 700 incarcerated students in four prisons, plus a downtown course for prison-impacted people. At the heart of the program’s mission is that broad, democratic access to higher education for people affected by incarceration strengthens the common good of our communities. The tireless efforts of Sarah Higinbotham, now teaching literature at Emory University’s Oxford College, along with the program’s co-founder Bill Taft, show how the liberal arts can connect people across all the barriers that divide us. Common Good Atlanta: Breaking Down the Walls of Mass Incarceration (2022, 57 min.) looks at the evolution and impact of the program on both students and instructors. Incarcerated students find an intellectual freedom that encourages growth and dignity, while instructors find a stimulating and transformative environment for the liberal arts. About the Festival: Hal Jacobs is a documentary filmmaker in Decatur, Ga. He began making short documentaries after many years of writing, editing and publishing. He produces work through his company, HJacobs Creative, and knows firsthand the challenges that filmmakers face in sharing their work with live audiences. SPONSORS: This year the Decatur Short Docs Film Festival is part of the Decatur Arts Festival. Georgia Center for the Book , DeKalb County Public Library, HJacobsCreative, First Baptist Church Decatur. LOCATION: First Baptist Church Decatur - Carreker Hall SAFETY PROTOCOLS: We are committed to a safe environment for all writers, attendees, staff, and volunteers. Following CDC guidelines and adhering to the protocols of the First Baptist Church of Decatur, we are taking the following steps for safety during this program: -Masks: Face masks must be worn properly over the nose and the mouth at all times on the entire church property, including outdoors. -Social Distancing: Attendance indoors is capped at less than 50% of capacity, with alternating rows left vacant. -Vaccines: Proof of completed COVID-19 vaccination (CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or image of the card) is required for anyone entering the church. In the rare event of a misplaced COVID-19 card, please provide proof of a negative test taken no more than 72 hours before the event and be prepared to sign a vaccine verification statement.