Episode 55 | For Venida, For Kalief | Sisa Bueno

In this episode we sit down with Sisa Bueno, Deion & Kamal Browder, two brothers of Kalief Browder to discuss the documentary, FOR VENIDA, FOR KALIEF This documentary debuts the poetry of Venida Brodnax Browder, mother of Kalief Browder- an African-American teenager who inspired incarceration reform in the United States. It is not just a film about incarceration, but one that is about giving a complex humanity to people and communities (Black, Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, and Asian) plagued by these issues. The film is an intentional weaving of verité, poetic visuals, rare archival imagery of 1970s New York, and most importantly, deep emotions. The film is a tender journey and exploration into the past, present and future, and delivers nuance and understanding about the long vicious cycle of mass incarceration over the last 50 years. It culminates in the contemporary movement to transform Rikers Island - one of the world’s most notorious jails - into a renewable energy center. This film intertwines spirituality and advocacy, while crafting a cinematic experience that re-imagines the “criminal justice” documentary as a poetic collage.Director - Sisa Bueno Producer - Sisa Bueno, David Felix Sutcliffe, Paola Gadala-Maria, Jasmine Mans Cinematographer - Sisa BuenoEditor - Kristan Sprague, Daniel Chavez Ontiveros Poetry by - Venida Brodnax Browder Narrator - Jasmine Mans This documentary film was made possible with the support of: ITVS, Ford Foundation, Sundance Institute, International Documentary Association (IDA), deNovo Initiative, City of New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), Firelight Media, New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC), Film Independent, The Gotham, Jerome Foundation, Hot Docs, Points North Institute, Sunny Side of the Doc, DOK Leipzig.