Homie UP: Stories of Love and Redemption is a documentary about families whose lives are changed by mass incarceration after having a beloved family member incarcerated. This film is devoted to sharing how prisons affect not just those inside but how the prison walls also penetrate outward into families and communities. English and Spanish with subtitles. Homie UP is funded by the Community Stories Grant of Cal Humanities.
The film provides an in-depth examination of the individuals within a complex system to explore their connection to family, school, and community. They were born and raised in our communities. They attended California’s public schools. They are intimately connected to family and friends. Regardless of the distance, family members track their whereabouts and find their loved ones to maintain regular communication, even if it means paying exorbitant fees for such communication and connection. This ongoing dialogue and exchange between the prison cell and home/school gives us snapshots of the human dimension behind prison life. In their own words, we hear from individuals who find themselves incarcerated and have learned to express themselves and to think critically through art, poetry, essays and letters.