COMMUTED: Film Screening & Panel Discussion

Join RJCA and Peacebuilding for an intimate and thought-provoking evening as we present COMMUTED, an eye-opening documentary that takes you deep into the life of Danielle Metz, a mother of 2, whose triple life sentence plus 20 years, was commuted after serving 23 years, giving her the rare opportunity to reclaim the family and future she'd been dreaming of behind bars.

The reality of re-entering society is far more complex than Danielle could have imagined. This film traces her journey to find purpose, love, and healing after years of incarceration while also confronting the haunting legacy of the US War on Drugs.

In COMMUTED, we see how the War on Drugs continues to leave indelible marks on families, as Danielle’s experience reflects the larger systemic issues that are still reverberating through communities today.

Expect to uncover:

• The untold impacts of conspiracy statutes and long-term incarceration.
• The deep, emotional journey of reconciliation between family members after years of separation.
• Insight into the challenging realities facing those who are released from Pr*son, navigating a world that has dramatically changed.

Come for the powerful story, stay for the conversation. This screening will be followed by a panel discussion where we’ll hear from community members who have been directly impacted by family separation due to incarceration.  

Purchase your ticket before February 24 for complimentary soda and popcorn to enjoy during the film. 

Don’t miss this chance to witness a transformative story and spark meaningful dialogue about the future of our justice system.

About the movie. . . In 1993, Danielle Metz was a twenty-six year old mother with two small children, who was falsely labeled a drug kingpin by the US Government as a part of her husband’s drug ring. She was sentenced to triple life plus twenty years for nonviolent drug offenses, and sent more than two thousand miles from her family in New Orleans to serve the remainder of her life in California at the Dublin Federal Correctional Institute. After serving twenty-three years in Pr*son, Danielle’s sentence was commuted in 2016 by the Obama Administration as a part of the Clemency Initiative to address historically unfair sentencing practices during the “war on drugs.” Now back home, Danielle is trying to start life over again in her fifties while working to help other women avoid her fate. But perhaps Danielle’s toughest challenge of all is living the dream that kept her going while in Pr*son - that of being a united family again with her two children.

Danielle Metz Filmmaker on Commuted. . . COMMUTED sheds light on a unique feature of the American criminal justice system. Women’s incarceration rates are increasing at a faster pace than men’s in several states, and women’s’ incarceration frequently is tied to crimes associated with their boyfriends or husbands. And women in Pr*son frequently feel abandoned, with fewer visitors and less attention to their cases.

Host or Publisher Restorative Justice Community Action