The miscreants alluded to in the title of the documentary "They Call Us Monsters" are a trio of teenage boys, incarcerated in a California juvenile detention facility for charges ranging. Are our past actions a direct reflection of our character? 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. The teacher, Gabriel Cowan (also a producer of the film), leads a workshop at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles. The short film, LOS, was written by Juan Gamez, Jarad Nava and Antonio Hernandez. He speaks with renewed hope about providing his friends at the juvenile hall with a larger-than-life example of the success that they can aspire to achieve, transforming himself into a heroic figure on par with the "blue people in 'Avatar.'" Since rehabilitation programs continue to be underfunded, the recidivism rate isnt likely to go down. Jarad Nava and Antonio Hernandez (Hernandez is released partway . Edit your text regarding the suggestions. A producer took me to juvenile hall. Since the documentary was produced in 2013, the initial parole bill, SB 230, passed, along with other bills that decrease juvenile sentencing. 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. But because you do not know who they will turn out to be when they are 25, 26 or 27, I feel as a society that we do have the obligation to provide them an opportunity to earn a second chance, based on that fact.. When Hernandez talks to the filmmakers at home, there are toddlers strewn all . Ben Lear makes his directorial debut with "They Call Us Monsters," a searing but sensitive documentary following the experiences of juvenile offenders through the justice system.His father, Norman, used the form of the sitcom to hold a mirror up to American culture, but Ben takes a more direct approach with his non-fiction work, and the intuitive observation displayed in this film shows . According to California law, the U.S. injustice errr.justice system treats people aged 14-17 as adults when being sentenced for their crimes. As they note on their site, the mission of InsideOUT Writers is to reduce the juvenile recidivism rate by providing a range of services that evolves to meet the needs of currently and formerly incarcerated youth and young adults. Not only do they offer creative writing classes to offer these young people the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully re-join the community, but they have instituted an Alumni program that supports former students upon their release. that, according to Budnick, Cowan, Lear and other prison-reform policy advocates, differentiates the young person from the adult. His answer Yes, but inside the jail is another jail articulates the Sartre-esqe morass of life inside a broken system, as do the ubiquitous signs on the walls that read "NO! come up for parole in 20-25 years, instead of the 80 or 90 years he would have had with a 160-year sentence. They're held in a special wing of the lockup reserved for teens who will be standing trial as adults. They Call Us Monsters . This doc examines how minors are regarded in the justice system. Watching this documentary would lead one to realize that the society plays an important role in the prevention of juvenile delinquency. They Call Us Monsters is a 2016 American documentary directed and produced by Ben Lear. They Call Us Monsters. Of the three young men it follows, Antonio faces 90 years to life for two attempted murders committed just after he turned 14. . 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. Available on iTunes Legislators debate legislation that allows for adult charges for juvenile offenders. You cannot punish trauma out of somebody. They Call Us Monsters Juan Gamez (Actor), Antonio Hernandez (Actor), Ben Lear (Director) Format: DVD 155 ratings IMDb 7.0/10.0 $2495 Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime & FREE Returns Prime Video $3.99 $10.99 DVD $24.95 Additional DVD options Edition Discs Price New from Used from DVD September 5, 2017 1 $24.95 $24.95 $19.87 Los ends up being, of all things, a love story. To others, they're monsters Juan, Jarad and Antonio, all young teens, face decades in prison. Jarad, who will be eligible for parole in 2037, wrote in a letter to PBS that hes chosento leave the criminal lifestyle in my past and serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Juan is eligible for parole in 2027. Cast Jarad Nava , Juan Gamez , Antonio Hernandez | See Full Cast This is true for Juan as well, who has a 90-year sentence. Ben Lear. TikTok video from Editorial Applehead (@appleheadteam): "Antonio Hernndez, director de "Capitn Trueno y El Santo Grial", recibe el Premio Applehead Sah-Di-A 2023 y nos enva un saludo.". Over the course of a few months, Lear filmed Cowan working with three teenagers -- Juan Gamez, Jarad Nava and Antonio Hernandez -- who were awaiting trial, some facing sentences more than 100 years long. Id love to come and speak to these kids at the possibilitys they can have Instead of facing my life I numbed myself to it and behaved immaturely.. with lengthy sentences, regardless of the fact that, as adolescents, they have no ability to see beyond the orbit of their own experience. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. It establishes a parole process with different criteria.. 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. Juan:Yes, I saw the movie, before release. To their advocates, they're kids. Juan Gamez, Antonio Hernandez and Jarad Nava are the youthful offenders at the heart of They Call Us Monsters, a new documentary that follows their lives in a Los Angeles juvenile detention center. Download a copy of Juan Gamezs complete handwritten letter. Three kids facing life in prison. Theyre held in a special wing of the lockup reserved for teens who will be standing trial as adults. Log in to follow creators, like videos, and view comments. In what is then the pinnacle moment of the documentary, Juan watches from the sidelines as actors brought in by Cowan enact a scene from his own life as he wishes it had actually transpired. 35 Likes, TikTok video from Antonio Hernnde4490 (@antoniohernandez0220). I was filled with conflicting emotions throughout. He receives a letter from Jarad. 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. Buy $12.99. Cast Jarad Nava, Juan Gamez, Antonio Hernandez | See Full Cast Are you allowed to watch anything? Directed By. Eventually, police were able to identify the suspect as 19-year-old Antonio Hernandez. Even if he appears remorseless, there seems to be a softness there, or maybe just a deep need for approval. Toward the end of "They Call Us Monsters," Antonio has been released. Antonio, one of Jarad's inmates, is blindsided by the news that he will be a free man. However, he re-entered prison after being tried as an adult for two robberies. The documentary "They Call Us Monsters", takes inside a segregated unit for juveniles being tried as adults in Sylmar Juvenile Hall and introduces to three teenagers awaiting trial where they spend their days and nights waiting to learn their fate for their violent and gang related crimes. Juan Gamez, Antonio Hernandez and Jarad Nava are the three juvenile offenders who got featured in the documentary. They Call Us Monsters 83% HD CC Documental 1h 21 minutos 2017 Juan, Jarad and Antonio, all between 14 and 16, face decades in prison. Granted time should be done, but if prison is for rehabilitation and you give a sixteen-year-old 40 years to life, after 10 years hes truly changed, you still keep him inside. original sound - . The 2016 released documentary inspects the experience of three juvenile prisoners facing life time imprisonment in Los Angeles Juvenile Detention Centre. It is our responsibility to help the youth that want help. In other words, hes a boy. They seem like typical American teenagers if they . - Juvenile Justice News for People Who Care About Children and the Law, Juan Gamez, Antonio Hernandez and Jarad Nava are the youthful offenders at the heart of . University of Redlands Emergency Alert System, Alert Received: . Maybe it takes a lifetime., 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 InsideOUT Writers, a Los Angeles-based organization that teaches creative writing to kids in juvenile lockups. Juan and Jarad were 16 when they were arrested; Antonio was 14. Our independent journalism on the juvenile justice system takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. Juan and Jarad were 16 when they were arrested; Antonio was 14. One of the victims of Jarads shooting is only 17 and permanently confined to a wheelchair. Other stories Id like to tell I look around at the people around me and I see great stories of personal achievementsor overcoming struggles. were being prosecuted in adult courts every year, according to the Campaign for Youth Justice, which opposes the practice. This scene makes it into the final documentary, in which Learbraids together footage from the class with clips from the fictional film that the teens wrote. Who you are as a teenager is not who you are when you grow up.. Summary. If they weren’t waiting for a trial for a crime they committed, they appear to be typical American Read more. Categories Trending Tags They Call Us Monsters Leave a comment. 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. Watch They Call Us Monsters (2016) full movie online for free Legislators debate legislation that allows for adult charges for juvenile offenders. Antonio Hernandez (arrested at age 14) and Jarad Nava (arrested at 16) are both charged with multiple counts of attempted murder; Juan Gamez (also arrested at 16) is charged with first-degree. The teenage girl Jarad shot is paralyzed and in a wheelchair. . I was raised by the juvenile system thanks to a mother who really didnt wanna be a mom anymore and thats putting it nicely So most of the time, its easier for them to just be kids when theyre locked up.. Juan, Jarad and Antonio, all between 14 and 16, face decades in prison. As the screenwriting classes progress, Jarad, Anthony, and Juan become close, and they develop a bond with the screenwriting teacher. These are perfect examples of the way the justice system has decided to treat young men who commit violent crimes as adults. Lear, who released Lillian as an album, partnered with Plastic Pollution Coalition and 4Gyres to raise awareness for plastic pollution. Another important area centers on the cognitive development and decision-making ability of minors in dangerous home environments. All three boys have children. 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. Juan:Man, theres so many things the audience dont get to see, especially the fact that Im grown now. Reflecting back on his first week teaching his screenwriting class, Cowan says he was struck by the teens saying they don't have friends. The prisoners are not made out to be innocent victims of the prison system; it was made clear that they committed serious crimes and are dealing with the repercussions. Antonio admits he feels no remorse for his actions, and his promising new start sours soon after his release. The girl in Los turns out to be Abby, the love of Juans life whom he let get away. This documentary, directed by Ben Lear (the son of legendary TV producer Norman Lear), is one of the few I have seen to . , Scott Budnick (The Hangover) who executive produced the They Call Us Monsters as a labor of love. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Documentary 2017 1 hr 21 min iTunes. 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. Ones kicking himself over an unrequited lifelong crush. Is there anything else youd want to tell the movies audience about yourself that they may not know? Im guessing people probably think were still in the same mindset, and doing the same stuff. While the gravity of their crimes is great, these young men are still simply teenagers. 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