An ex-felon rebuilds his life and helps others do the same
An ex-felon rebuilds his life & helps others do the same
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An ex-felon rebuilds his life and helps others do the same
An ex-felon rebuilds his life & helps others do the same
“Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to view the rough cut of your film project. I must confess that I approached it with some degree of dread, expecting that it would, like many documentaries about this issue, be a plodding, depressing retread of observations that have been made many times over. But to my delight I found it to be a masterfully executed examination of the lives of two men that captured my imagination and filled me with both hope and inspiration. It is a film that suggests great possibilities for so many who believe the future is impossible. I really hope you finalize it soon and start it circulating through prisons across the country. I can’t imagine any prisoner who would see this and not be motivated to learn a skill and begin charting an entrepreneurial course for themselves. That is perhaps what I like most about the film. It’s not that I have spent an extraordinary amount of time with returning citizens, but I find so many walk around in a funk because they can’t get hired. My suggestions that they try entrepreneurship are dismissed out of hand because they have obviously been thoroughly socialized to believe that getting a job is the only acceptable route to re-entry. My hope has always been that these individuals will make serious efforts to become self-sustaining. The benefit is not just to themselves, but for communities – particularly when they (like Mr. Jordan) are able to give others opportunities. Congratulations to you, and a special congratulations to Messrs. Jordan and Costello. Thank you again for sharing this.”
-Mark Fancher, Civil Rights Attorney
“The stories we read are usually the stories of failure. Telling stories of success – of people who have shown that they are valuable – those are important. Stories are really how we learn.”
-Patricia D. Jehlen, MA State Senator
“The film is very moving and compelling, and I don’t think anyone who watched it was left unmoved. Ed is truly a remarkable person. I was struck by how he talked about his parents; the pride and sense of self they instilled in him must have made all the difference in how he has been able to persevere and thrive.”
-Eric Asetta | Executive Director, Office for Research and Creative Scholarship, Emerson College
“The film is powerful and important…. The characters and their stories just grabbed your heart in an honest way. I’m so moved by this story — I’m certain it will have a considerable impact.”
-Llew Smith, Filmmaker
“The film is very powerful. A special thanks to Ed for telling your story and raising up your experiences and how we really need to reform the system… This is what the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus is all about: raising up the lives of returning citizens and formerly incarcerated people and advocating for change.”
-James B. Eldridge, MA State Senator & Criminal Justice Reform Caucus
“I’m very much impressed with the movie. There is a very strong analogy between Ed Jordan and the survivors of the concentration camps. The lack of vengeance and the lack of attacking anybody — but trying to improve yourself and working so hard… It drives the point that nothing comes by itself. You have to earn it, you have to work on it, and you have to put yourself forward to accomplish this. I think you did a tremendous job showing that this is the way you get someplace.”
-Luna Kaufman, Holocaust Survivor and Educator, New York City
“Holding Up the Sky is a powerful film about courage, hope, and humanity. Nesson has built such a deep trust and friendship with Ed Jordan that Ed is able to passionately share his story – and bring hope for those behind and beyond bars. Bob’s gifted talent as a filmmaker and storyteller is always focused on making the world around us more equitable and safe. His films have the power to move the audience toward action.”
-Lauren Shaw, Professor, Visual and Media Arts, Emerson College
“It’s an inspiring story and Ed is a great subject. So many of his comments really moved me—the poetry with which he explains how ‘each of us is like a piece of metal… and in order for us to be whole, we need another piece. And we need to fuse ourselves to that other piece.’”
-Alice Stone, Documentary Film Producer/Director
“What a great story and what an amazing person Ed is (Jimmy, too). And how crushing and heartbreaking that we have such a justice system for our fellow humans. I can barely grasp being able to stand upright after such tribulations and here they both are, helping others do it too. Narrative sequence is really moving, I’m looking forward to hearing how you pulled it all together and how you met this guy in the first place. We need more films that spread inspiration.”
-Jesa Damora, Artist
“It’s a very powerful story… it speaks to Ed’s dedication and recognition of the work as something possibly bigger than himself. He’s helping people build and rebuild lives, and in doing so, building a supportive community.”
-Stephen Shane, Affiliated Professor, Dept. of Writing, Literature and Publishing, Emerson College
We are grateful for the generous support of you, our individual donors, and to Bikes Not Bombs, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Emerson College, Mass Humanities, and the Center for Independent Documentary.
