But by the end of the 10 weeks, Cowan says, they were all friends. Antonio Hernandez is the second kid we learn about in the film. Antonio Hernandez, and Jarad Nava. Sitting in his white undershirt, he tries to reconcile the number of years Jarad. I do not think so. 1 Hour 21 Minutes. Who you are as a teenager is not who you are when you grow up.. Cowan saysthe juvenile justice system in California is broken. "[It's] the loss of innocence of this kid, who in this one day, nearly loses his virginity, smokes pot for the first time, gets kicked out of his house, sees a drive-by shooting, and all while trying to tell this girl that he loves her.". People who are trying through art help these kids deal with the trauma that they have gone through.. But each successive measure has passed with more and more support., California seems to be well on the right path, but there are a lot of states that are much further behind in that conversation, he said. Our independent journalism on the juvenile justice system takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. Aiming to de-stigmatize California's incarcerated juveniles, a documentary entitled They Call Us Monsters sheds light on the lives of those incarcerated and the state's legislative debate over juvenile sentencing reform. Three kids facing life in prison. To their critics, they're monsters. This article about a biographical documentary film is a stub. Follow her on Twitter at @EmilyBeJordan. Who Creates the Dragons Brave Knights must Slay? And in 2016, state voters approved a ballot measure that takes the decision on whether a teen should stand trial as an adult away from prosecutors and puts it in the hands of a juvenile court judge. , Scott Budnick (The Hangover) who executive produced the They Call Us Monsters as a labor of love. Find out where to watch online amongst 45+ services including Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video. 1 They Call us Monsters, for me, was more than just another Netflix documentary. Their convictions range from charges of attempted murder to first degree murder, and slowly each boys character and the story of how he ended up in the compound is revealed. Prior to his imprisonment, Antonio was an honor roll student and he seemed like the perfect student up until his arrest. News and Views from the University of Redlands, Read the Notice of Nondiscrimination here. Sign up for our daily newsletter. Directed by: Ben LearThey Call Us Monsters Official Trailer 1 (2016) - Documentary In this fascinating, deeply human exploration of the blurring line between. 14 deaths from dangerous dog breeds. When you see these young, smart kids without resources, being taken advantage of in this way and locked up for life with no help, I call bullshit on that right away. I dont usually watch TV shows like that, but I do like The Big Bang Theory, The X-Files, American Ninja Warrior, I catch them from time to time. [He adds that nothing hes watched has inspired him as far as doing his own film.]. Directors Ben Lear Starring Jarad Nava, Juan Gamez, Antonio Hernandez Genres Documentary Subtitles English [CC] To their advocates, they're kids. Over the course of a few months, Learfilmed Cowan working with three teenagers -- Juan Gamez, Jarad Nava and Antonio Hernandez -- who were awaiting trial, some facing sentences more than 100 years long. All three face charges of attempted (or, in Juans case, first degree) murder. Juan Gamez has close-cropped, black hair and a baby face that remains expressionless except when he smiles. Be more independent. Unrated Starring Allegra Acosta, Nate Corddry, Gabriel Cowan. Jarads victim describes waking up paralyzed, and the film shows her trying to navigate her apartment in a wheelchair. 17.9K Likes, 65 Comments. For his senior recital, Lear wrote and performed his folk-opera Lillian (about a man who travels to the great Pacific garbage patch to reclaim all hes lost) with a 20-piece orchestra and light show. Juan said he was in love with a girl when he was 10, but was too scared to tell her. Antonio has since re-offended. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to watch the film, as it provided me insight into the lives of an often-forgotten part of the population, educated me on the debate, about juvenile justice reform, and left me with a hunger to learn more. One of the victims of Jarads shooting is only 17 and permanently confined to a wheelchair. A part of PBS, America's Home for Documentaries. Summary. This doc examines how minors are regarded in the justice system. with lengthy sentences, regardless of the fact that, as adolescents, they have no ability to see beyond the orbit of their own experience. To the system, they're adults. Its not an excuse by any means. They Call Us Monsters A Documentary Film Review 'The Call Us Monsters' is a documentary film in which the filmmakers are granted access to the Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar California. Supporters of that measure cited new science about brain development in teenagers that found the part of the brain that regulates judgment, decision-making and impulse control doesnt fully form until a person is in their 20s. Review: They Call Us Monsters, but Do We Deserve Life Sentences? Juan:Yeah, Jarad and I were tripping out on how many times we came out shaking hands. Do they deserve a second chance? Crime. Even if he appears remorseless, there seems to be a softness there, or maybe just a deep need for approval. that, according to Budnick, Cowan, Lear and other prison-reform policy advocates, differentiates the young person from the adult. When the new law went into effect in January of 2014, it established a new parole process to be enacted on either the 15th, 20th or 25th year of incarceration, depending on the sentence or controlling offense for people who were under the age of 18 when they committed a crime and who had been tried and sentenced as adults. (alumni participate in group gatherings called Writing Circles, where young people come together to share their work and talk). Obviously, there are no easy answers. Antonio Hernandez (@antoniohernandez5046)s videos with sonido original - Antonio Hernandez | TikTok. Capturan en Altavista al delincuente Nelson Antonio Hernndez, alias El Maligno. He references the movie Avatar, and says, I feel like I gotta be these huge blue people for them so at night when they dream of stuff they could be doing, I could be one of those huge, blue people.. He went as research for a script, expecting to meet the kind of scary characters hed seen in the movies but instead, he found a classroom full of kids., That inspired him to make the documentary, which uses a montage of news reports to illustrate the late 20th century spike in juvenile crime and the punitive response that followed a broad expansion in the offenses and ages for which a teen could stand trial as an adult. What other stories would you like to tell in film or writing? Im Documentary. All rights reserved. "They Call Us Monsters," created by Ben Lear son of Norman Lear, features Pomona resident Jarad Nava and two other teens at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar and raises the question. After passing SB 260, California also passed SB 261 in 2015, a law that raised the age of SB 260 to 22-years old, affecting an additional 16,000 inmates. It's a High Security Compound in which we're introduced to four juvenile inmates: Jarad Nava arrested at 16 and facing 200 years to life for . All rights reserved. Jarad:No because for one police officers manipulate juveniles through coercion to admit to information that they may actually be innocent of. Have you seen They Call Us Monsters yet and if so what was your reaction to seeing yourself in the film? Stay in touch. They Call Us Monsters . As part of the Kennesaw State University community we are committed to creating a culture of inclusion through our journalism and operations. Ben Lear graduated from NYU in 2010 with a degree in music composition. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/movies/they-call-us-monsters-review.html. Change is possible but forgiveness is needed.. Watch They Call us Monsters 2016 full Movie free, download they call us monsters 2016. Jarad makes a joke of it, but Antonio says, Trust, fear of vulnerability, fear of public speaking and fear of being alone. Juan says, Fear of death, loneliness, darkness and love., The love story is the heart of the film, Lear says. View Notes - Film Review .docx from JS 152 at San Jose State University. Download a copy of Juan Gamezs complete handwritten letter. Another leads you on a mocking tour of his new home. They Call Us Monsters takes viewers behind the walls of the Compound, the facility where Los Angeles houses its most violent juvenile criminals. We've posted their answers below, and also included the original letters if you'd like to see an authentically handwritten. Juan tells Cowan and his classmates how he was going to give the real Abby a poem but he never got the chance. Be more independent. When California advocates began pushing to scale back punishments for offenders like those in his film, Lear said, it seemed hopeless. Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. Meanwhile, the boys wrote a screenplay, which their teacher, Gabriel Cowan, shot and edited into a 15-minute short, Los. The film-within-a-film structure of They Call Us Monsters replicates the repetitive nature of these very systemic contradictions that the boys face and endure, but in a way that allows for reflection as well as an understanding of the need for continued awareness and advocacy. Lear, the son of television producer and liberal activist Norman Lear, was drawn to the issue after he was invited to sit in on one of the scriptwriting classes run by, , a Los Angeles-based organization that teaches creative writing to kids in juvenile lockups. I definitely believe teens that see unforeseen trauma in there childhood should certainly be given a serious second chance, their brains are not fully developed. Director Benjamin Lear . 83%. His story became one of the main themes in their film. Yet, I also felt the film was successful in demonstrating that these are no little Charles Mansons, as a state senator in the documentary called them. We meet Jarad (arrested at 16), Antonio (at 14), and Juan (at 16) when theyre about to be tried, each facing 90 plus years in prison. . Juvenile court judges had made that decision. Recidivism, understood as a persons relapse into criminal behavior, often after the person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous crime, is a key statistic that tells lawmakers and law enforcement how likely those who have gone through the system are likely to find themselves back into it. Their parents grew up in identical conditions before them and know nothing of survival in an "acceptable" way because they have NEVER been given instruction. Log in to follow creators, like videos, and view comments. Want to know more about this blog or how to get into contact with us? [Antonio was advised by his lawyer to decline a follow-up interview.]. Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. These are perfect examples of the way the justice system has decided to treat young men who commit violent crimes as adults. Antonio, Juan and Jarad are enrolled in a 20-week screenwriting course taught by Gabe Cowan, and through clips of their classes and the fictional scenarios they develop, "They Call Us. Our news judgments are made independently not based on or influenced by donors. To pass the time, they sign up for a screenwriting class and collaborate on a short film about their lives, including Juan's unrequited love for his childhood friend, Abigail. The problem could be stopped before it reaches this how does a teen get a gun is never questioned. This is true for Juan as well, who has a 90-year sentence. PBS Independent Lens airs the film on Monday, May 22. For more information, visit: While the gravity of their crimes is great, these young men are still simply teenagers. 83%. Antonio could care less. I so support these boys and hope they dont have to spend there years stuck for a stupid mistake they now regret It hit home because I grew up with a lot of Are you allowed to watch anything? Gilpin County Colorado Most Wanted. , a new documentary that follows their lives in a Los Angeles juvenile detention center. Their stories are framed by their participation in a screenwriting class taught by Gabriel Cowan, one of the documentarys producers and by the debate among California lawmakers over a bill that would grant young offenders with lengthy terms a chance at parole after 15 years. We are committed to transparency in every aspect of funding our organization. They Call Us Monsters is a 2016 American documentary directed and produced by Ben Lear. Toward the end of They Call Us Monsters, Antonio has been released. They are locked up in a separate guardhouse, where legal actions will be served on teenagers in the same way that they are served on adults. Antonio Hernandez is known for Los (2015) and They Call Us Monsters (2016). I have to admit that it was weird to see myself from an outside perspective. To some, they're kids. As Newt Gingrich says in a news clip at the start of Lears film, There are no violent offenses that are juvenile; you rape somebody, youre an adult; you shoot somebody, youre an adult.. Antonio Hernndez, director de "Capitn Trueno y El Santo Grial", recibe el Premio Applehead Sah-Di-A 2023 y nos enva un saludo. Meanwhile, the realities of Jarad and Juans crimes and pending trials set in. Juvenile court judges had made that decision until 2000, when a referendum gave prosecutors the power to try teens as adults for certain serious crimes. Weve posted their answers below, and also included the original letters if youd like to see an authentically handwritten response. PBS Independent Lens airs the film on Monday, May 22. Three young violent offenders learn screenwriting in one of LA's high-security detention centers. You can see them hugging, you can see they felt a lot of success together, they went through a real experience together.. They have to pay for what they did, Lear said. To their victims, they're monsters. Help bring programs like Independent Lens to your PBS station. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Mothers staying home to care for their children. With powerful subject matter and masterful conceptualization, the film was captivating, each scene leaving me eager to find out how the story and those featured in it would develop. Watch They Call us Monsters 2016 full Movie free, download they call us monsters 2016. They are not monsters they are children who deserve a second chance at life we all make bad desicions just some are worse than others but if God can give them another chance why cant society, My name is Patty Without affect, the girl asks if hes in a detention center. Do they deserve a second chance? They Call Us Monsters - Where to Watch and Stream They Call Us Monsters Overview Cast Meet Juan, Jarad, and Antonio, all in their teens, all facing decades in prison. The plot emerged when the teens were talking about their fears. They Call Us Monsters. I used laughter as a mask to shield myself and others [from] my reality. In They Call Us Monsters, Jarad Nava, Juan Gamez, and Antonio Hernandez are teenage inmates at Sylmar Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles.What makes that such a big deal? This means these kids could get a second chance. There are many that we will not be able to save. 9.2K Likes, 42 Comments. While in the courthouse representing himself for the hearing about her murder, he asked the judge if he could use the law . The documentary "They Call Us Monsters" explored the life of three juvenile offenders, i.e. Juan and Jarad were 16 when they were arrested; Antonio was 14. However we have to give them the opportunity to change the monster in them by teaching them that there is good in every bad situation. He wrote that he is grateful so many people have embrace[d] our story and join the prison reform movement. While in prison, he is going to college fulltime and making strong grades. The focus of InsideOUT is usually poetry and prose (alumni participate in group gatherings called Writing Circles, where young people come together to share their work and talk). It follows three residents at Barry J. Nidorf. I must say God is good despite where I came from, God has me living in the now looking forward and learning from the past. Preview EXPLORE THE FILM About the Documentary They. 1.7K Likes, 32 Comments. , would allow juveniles to become eligible for parole earlier in their sentencing, after serving at least 15 years. In many countries children are used as hitmen, mainly because they are disposable, but also precisely because legal systems work different for them and that is not right. . While the gravity of their crimes is great, these young men are still simply teenagers. As the film reveals, in the last four years, the state has passed bills to decrease juvenile sentencing a move that re-sparked a national debate over the very nature of these violent juvenile offenders. In this movie, creator Ben Lear sheds valuable insight into the world of juveniles with life sentences. This doc examines how minors are regarded in the justice system. There is a delicate line between childhood and adulthood. His statement, I was a monster, I really was, is the crux of the film: he joined a gang before his thirteenth birthday to emulate his brother. Halfway through the class, Antonio returns to juvenile court and is released with time served but, back in the neighborhood, quickly falls into the same patterns of drug use and gang life that led to his incarceration in the first place. In the past few years, however, officials in many states and in Washington, D.C., have been rethinking the clampdown. TikTok video from Antonio Hernandez (@antoniohernandez5046). I have worked in the juvenile system for 20 years. Their convictions range from charges of attempted murder to first degree murder, and slowly each boy's character and the story of how he ended up in the compound is revealed. Documentary 2017 1 hr 21 min iTunes. Over the course of the two years that Lear (son of TV writer and producer Norman Lear) spent filming They Call Us Monsters, SB 260, the juvenile parole bill, went into effect in California. SD. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 35 Likes, TikTok video from Antonio Hernnde4490 (@antoniohernandez0220). Jarad and Juan are currently serving the remainder of their sentence at Ironwood state prison. The remark encapsulated the feeling I was left with after observing the film. ENGLISH. Upload your text file or copy the materials to the field. Let me clarify, I dont think juveniles should just be let free or given a slap on the wrist. activities. Eventually, police were able to identify the suspect as 19-year-old Antonio Hernandez. sonido original - Antonio Hernnde4490. The first individual we come across is Antonio, who was arrested at the age of 14-years-old. 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