Communiqué

A group of incarcerated men endured decades of solitary confinement in “The Strike” on INDEPENDENT LENS – Feb. 3 at 10 pm


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A POWERFUL STORY OF PROTEST AND THE CALIFORNIA INCARCERATION SYSTEM,

“THE STRIKE”

PREMIERES ON INDEPENDENT LENS ON FEBRUARY 3 AT 10:00 PM

Told by Those Who Survived Decades of Solitary Confinement, “The Strike” Illuminates the Power of Unity and the Unprecedented Story of How 30,000 Incarcerated People Changed California

 

The Pelican Bay State Prison Security Housing was opened in 1989 to hold over 1,000 people in solitary confinement. It is located amidst the redwood forests on the remote Northern California coast near the Oregon border.
The Pelican Bay State Prison Security Housing was opened in 1989 to hold over 1,000 people in solitary confinement. It is located amidst the redwood forests on the remote Northern California coast near the Oregon border.

The moving feature documentary “The Strike” premieres February 3, 2025, on INDEPENDENT LENS. The film illuminates the power of organizing through the story of 30,000 incarcerated people in California protesting decades-long practices of inhumane solitary confinement. Weaving together the personal stories of the men who bore the brunt of this practice, “The Strike” follows the journeys of a cast of solitary survivors, from their secretly-recorded meetings with prison administrators to the personal ramifications of decades in confinement.

By 2013, California had nearly 4,000 people in long-term solitary confinement. One day that year, 30,000 people who were incarcerated went on a hunger strike in a protest that began as a whisper in the corridors of Pelican Bay and spread into a feat of unity across California prisons. The film reveals the panic that gripped the highest echelons of state government, with unprecedented access to prison officials and never-before-seen footage from inside
Pelican Bay.

Hunger striker Paul Redd spent over 30 years in solitary confinement.
Hunger striker Paul Redd spent over 30 years in solitary confinement.

“We found that the story of how incarcerated people, facing impossible odds inside solitary confinement, managed to orchestrate a statewide protest, to be an inspiring example of what’s possible when people come together for change. We hope our film speaks to the strength of the human spirit and the power of collective solidarity,” said Co-directors Joe Bill Muñoz and Lucas Guilkey.

“Human contact is essential to human existence, including inside prisons,” said Lois Vossen, INDEPENDENT LENS executive producer. ” At its heart, ‘The Strike’ reveals the struggle for basic human rights within the criminal justice system.”

“The Strike” is a co-presentation of INDEPENDENT LENS and Latino Public Broadcasting. “The Strike” premieres on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS on February 3, 2025, at 10 p.m. (check local listings). The film will also be available to stream on the PBS app.
Visit the “The Strike” page on INDEPENDENT LENS to learn more about the series.