When a budding young artist’s friend is suddenly killed, he decides to seek revenge. Unless his family can confront their wounds to stop him in his tracks.

This one-of-a-kind feature film represents the work of 13 incarcerated writers from all over the US and was produced by a team of film professionals in New York City. It is available for free to incarcerated audiences in nearly 12,000 facilities nationwide, with over 57,600 views.

“I think the film was beautiful and it truly encompassed the tumultuous landscape of the lives of people who are affected by violence and incarceration." - feedback from a currently incarcerated viewer

World Premiere: Athens International Film & Video Festival 

*This festival is in Athens, Ohio - the home state of two of the writers whose work is featured in the film. One of them, Heather Jarvis, was released in the fall of 2023 and has been laser focused on reunification with her daughters, a degree in social work, and advocacy for prison reform. Marcus J. is still incarcerated in a prison in Lancaster, Ohio.

Screening on Tuesday, April 8 @ 3:00pm and Friday, April 11 @ 3:00pm

"Globally recognized for its unwavering dedication to films from underground and marginalized communities, AIFVF reflects and expands our cultural identity. The festival stands as a beacon of perspectives, championing the voices of underrepresented artists and providing a global stage for moving image works that might otherwise be overlooked."

For more information, visit http://athensfilmfest.org

Our film festival strategy focuses on the festivals in writers’ home states, those which prioritized underrepresented voices, and areas with high potential impact for organizational growth. Submission fees range from $35-70. Any contributions above our necessary festival costs will join Shining Light’s programming budget. 

Through our tablet partnership with Edovo, “Influence” has been viewed by over 57,000 incarcerated individuals. Here are a few of their reactions:

"The storyline was great and I hope someone sees this and makes a different decision about their life."

"This film was very inspirational and made me cry! Thank you for sharing this with me and those of us who are incarcerated because I think it will shed light on the real events in life that lead us to the decisions we make within our family that influence who we become in life." 

"The film was beautiful and encouraged me to write poetry again. I crave more films like this."

More than a Film

While we know audiences enjoy Influence as a standalone viewing experience, it also represents a suite of active programming. 

Influence includes work from 5 Shining Light programs:

  • The SL Academy Foundations Course: Shining Light staff meet with a small group of residents at a partner facility twice weekly over zoom and work through modules ranging from self-regulation and character strengths to playwriting. (1 script featured)

  • Academy Extension Courses: Graduates of the SL Academy can pursue additional exploration and coaching in playwriting and spoken word from seasoned professionals through zoom meetings. (4 pieces featured)

  • Winter Writing CoLab: Participants are paired with a writing mentor who provides encouragement and rigorous feedback on a single work through 3 months of correspondence. (3 pieces featured)

  • The Loop: This magazine is published bi-monthly and regularly features creative writing selections from readers. A call for subscribers to submit their work for this special project offered the focused prompt of “Rising Above”. (3 pieces featured)

  • Tablet Programming: Shining Light courses offer self-guided opportunities on many of the topics covered in The SL Academy, greatly expanding availability and accessibility. One such course, The Spoken Word Lab, was published in 2022 and walks a writer through the technical and emotive process of writing and editing a compelling poem. (1 piece featured)