goes behind the walls of the Compound, a high-security facility where Los Angeles houses its most violent juvenile criminals. Maybe that journey toward remorse and responsibility is different for everyone. 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 Call Us Monsters goes behind the walls of the Compound, a high-security facility where Los Angeles houses its most violent juvenile criminals, to follow three young offenders who sign up to take a screenwriting class with producer Gabe Cowan as they await their respective trials. 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. Grappling with tough questions about what it means to convict a young teenager to a lifetime in prison without diminishing or excusing the violent crimes which these kids are accused of, They Call Us Monsters is a loud plea for our need to rethink how we understand the American justice system. 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. To the system, they're adults. This doc examines how minors are regarded in the justice system. 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. They Call Us Monsters . Ya disponible en todas las plataformas digitales junto, as de esta manera fue llevado ala justicia y ser presentado ante los tribunales con el fin de que pague con crcel todos los crmenes cometidos/los angelitos que no hacen nada. It is our responsibility to help the youth that want help. Capturan en Altavista al delincuente Nelson Antonio Hernndez, alias El Maligno. 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. sonido original - Antonio Hernandez. Is there anything else youd want to tell the movies audience about yourself that they may not know? Id love to come and speak to these kids at the possibilitys they can have "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. It establishes a parole process with different criteria.. 2017. Legislators debate legislation that allows for adult charges for juvenile offenders.Legislators debate legislation that allows for adult charges for juvenile offenders.Legislators debate legislation that allows for adult charges for juvenile offenders. , would allow juveniles to become eligible for parole earlier in their sentencing, after serving at least 15 years. 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. 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. Documentary. As a result of making They Call Us Monsters, his first film, Lear sits on the advisory board of InsideOUT Writers and is an aly member within the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, teaching a weekly writing class within the Compound and mentoring former juvenile offenders under reentry. Maybe it takes 10 years. Juans older brother drew him into gang life as a child in their native El Salvador, before they moved to California. L-R: Gabe Cowan (teacher/producer), Jarad, Antonio, Juan all look at footage from their film. Download a copy of Jarad Navas complete handwritten letter. Jarad and Juan are currently serving the remainder of their sentence at Ironwood state prison. Jarad:Since the movie Ive been striving day after day to become a better person and hopefully re-enter society and just be a citizen, an asset, not a liability. Learhad been visiting "The Compound," a high-security facility where Los Angeles houses its most violent juvenile criminals. Focused on the specific stories of Jarad, Antonio, and Juan, the latter two exemplifying the large Latinopopulation that often finds itself behind bars, the project shows us how a screenwriting class allows these boys to think back to what drove them to where they are currently. Do they deserve a second chance? Wait for a couple of seconds to let the tool find matching parts. The show, which was created in partnership with InsideOUT Writers, features interviews and work from When he heard about the bill, he joined forces with screenwriter Gabriel Cowan to produce the documentary "They Call Us Monsters.". Juan, Jarad and Antonio, all between 14 and 16, face decades in prison. To their victims, theyre monsters. When Hernandez talks to the filmmakers at home, there are toddlers strewn all . Juan Gamez, Antonio Hernandez and Jarad Nava are the three juvenile offenders who got featured in the documentary. 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. Crime Meet Juan, Jarad, and Antonio, all in their teens, all facing decades in prison. Log in to follow creators, like videos, and view comments. Antonio Hernandez & Omar Montes 01:00 220 They Call Me Monster Mike Monster Mike Welch 01:00 1 What They Call Us? that, according to Budnick, Cowan, Lear and other prison-reform policy advocates, differentiates the young person from the adult. All three lads are aged 14 to 16 and are filmed living in Californian . Juan:Man, theres so many things the audience dont get to see, especially the fact that Im grown now. TikTok video from noticias ESA (@noticias.esa): "as de esta manera fue llevado ala justicia y ser presentado ante los tribunales con el fin de que pague con crcel todos los crmenes cometidos/los angelitos que no hacen nada #noticias #PlanControlTerritorial". I do not agree. 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. Make sure to cite all the sources properly and rewrite direct quotations in your own words to decrease the level of plagiarism in your paper. Download a copy of Juan Gamezs complete handwritten letter. The teenage girl Jarad shot is paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Lear originally visited the prison wanting to enrich a screenplay he was working on but once he saw the world of the young boys in the Compound, he knew he had a worthwhile doc in his hands. It follows three residents at Barry J. Nidorf. Be more independent. We thought that was funny. Juan: I dont want to say the law is unfair, but rather the people passing certain laws are quick to make decisions like throwing you in prison and throwing away the key without even giving you a chance (sometimes). The Center aims to discover new ways to produce financially sustainable, high quality and ethically sound journalism via applied research, collaborations and advancing innovative projects. Also, people who have done enough time in prison age out of violent crime in their thirties and forties. They are lively, tattooed gangbanger street-wise kids, who show no remorse for their crimes. Cowan had the idea to starta screenwriting class for juvenile offenders after he gave a talk toincarcerated youth while working on another screenplay. Of course, I would like to participate in activities like those even though Im incarcerated. Justice is not to seek retribution or eye for an eye, but there were homicides what they did and must pay in that sense. This doc examines how minors are regarded in the justice system. Our independent journalism on the juvenile justice system takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. I was more critical than anything, but I think that thats just the person I was at that time., Jarad:Yes, I was given the opportunity to watch the documentary and it was uncomfortable at first watching myself. SALON is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon.com, LLC. Is They Call Us Monsters streaming? They Call Us Monsters, directed by Ben Lear (Norman Lears son), might seem like a straightforward advocacy documentary. As the boys work with Gabe on their screenplay, their complex stories are revealed. Juan, Jarad and Antonio, all between 14 and 16, face decades in prison. 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. I have to admit that it was weird to see myself from an outside perspective. Cowan, who also happens to be one of the films producers, is the first person to teach a screenwriting class with InsideOUT Writers, a non-profit organization whose mission is both to use creative writing as a catalyst for personal transformation and to reduce the juvenile recidivism rate by providing services for formerly incarcerated youth. 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 . This is true for Juan as well, who has a 90-year sentence. 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. 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. Directed by: Ben LearThey Call Us Monsters Official Trailer 1 (2016) - Documentary In this fascinating, deeply human exploration of the blurring line between. Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Wendy C. Woolcock, the Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA"), announced today that JUAN ANTONIO HERNNDEZ ALVARADO, a/k/a "Tony Hernndez" ("HERNNDEZ") was sentenced to life in prison for cocaine-importation, weapons, and . Its a lot harder for him to find drugs. Juan Gamez has close-cropped, black hair and a baby face that remains expressionless except when he smiles. 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. Hello. To others, they're . TikTok video from Antonio Hernandez (@antoniohernandez517). Halfway through the class, Antonio returns to juvenile court and gets released with time served. 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. The proposed bill. 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 2016 Not Rated 1 h 22 m IMDb RATING 7.0 /10 654 YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 1:42 1 Video 4 Photos Documentary Legislators debate legislation that allows for adult charges for juvenile offenders. 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 . The proposed bill, SB 260, would allow juveniles to become eligible for parole earlier in their sentencing, after serving at least 15 years. While in the courthouse representing himself for the hearing about her murder, he asked the judge if he could use the law . [1] The teenagers participate in a screenwriting class at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles, California with producer Gabriel Cowan. To their advocates, theyre kids. 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 2016 released documentary inspects the experience of three juvenile prisoners facing life time imprisonment in Los Angeles Juvenile Detention Centre. The remark encapsulated the feeling I was left with after observing the film. 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. Another leads you on a mocking tour of his new home. Ben Lear. The documentary "They Call Us Monsters" explored the life of three juvenile offenders, i.e. Ben Lear. We incorporated that experience, the experience of telling someone you love them and how scary that is," says Cowan. While the film includes some touching moments, like Juans brief visits with his toddler son and a goodbye call to the girl he never expects to see again, it doesnt flinch from its subjects culpability. . You can see why we need to ask for your help. Lear was available for questions after the showing at Redlands. One week they would open up and trust me, and another week they would be joking around and sort of making me the villain., Cowan gave the teensliberty to choose what they wanted their film to be about. As any parent, teacher or person who has worked with teens will tell you, teenagers are impulsive. Sorry your mother did what she did to you, it seems you are better off, Im sure it still hurts. 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. To the system, theyre adults. The film follows three juvenile offenders: Juan Gamez, Antonio Hernandez and Jarad Nava who signed up for a screenwriting class . Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. [Antonio was advised by his lawyer to decline a follow-up interview.] gender, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or other legally-protected characteristic in its programs and All rights reserved. View Notes - Film Review .docx from JS 152 at San Jose State University. 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. I appreciated that the consequences of such serious crimes were not swept under the rug: a victim of one of the shootings shares her story, and a large part of the film follows the struggles of the prisoners families. Watch on. The boys empowerment from the creative process of screenwriting sparked hope in both them and me. I do not think so. It hit home because I grew up with a lot of Though not everyone would be lucky enough to benefit from this process a whole other story some people who were serving life sentences for offenses they had committed as youths suddenly found themselves eligible for release. TikTok video from Antonio Hernandez (@antoniohernandez5046). 1091 Media. It wasnt a direct line, it was a process that had zigzaggy lines. ok my sons were murdered, but the killers are children, so they deserve to be treated differently? A scene in which Juan calls a girl he had a crush on, while a listening staff member roots for him, provides the films most oddly affecting moment. Back in 2013, California was debating whether to give teenagers who committed violent crimes a second chance. Im a believer in the parole process, Lear says. The protagonist of Los emanates vulnerability where the boys act tough and make jokes as a form of self-protection. Do you feel the law in California is generally fair when it comes to juveniles who commit violent crimes? As the Fair Sentencing For Youth organization puts it, the law holds young people responsible for the crimes they committed, but it recognizes that youth are different from adults and gives them a chance to demonstrate remorse and rehabilitation. The law went into effect January 1, 2014. It is available for streaming on both Netflix and iTunes. 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. The short film, LOS, was written by Juan Gamez, Jarad Nava and Antonio Hernandez. Antonio, Jarad and Juan are the subjects of the documentary "They Call Us Monsters," BMP Films The issue of juveniles tried as adults in our criminal justice system is a difficult one, and the . By 2010, about. ", "THEY CALL US MONSTERS Premieres on PBS' Independent Lens 5/22", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=They_Call_Us_Monsters&oldid=1108017152, This page was last edited on 2 September 2022, at 03:33. What they Call Us Juan, antonio hernandez they call us monsters, and Antonio Hernandez had a. The remark encapsulated the feeling I was left with after observing the film follows three juvenile offenders he... For Juan as well, who has worked with teens will tell you, it was process... Who got featured in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a child in their sentencing, after at... Are lively, tattooed gangbanger street-wise kids, who show no remorse their., i.e things the audience dont get to see myself from an perspective... Im grown now to participate in activities like those even though Im incarcerated 2016 released documentary inspects experience. Offenders who got featured in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a form of self-protection prison reform.... Expressionless except when he smiles and making strong grades hearing about her,. ; explored the life of three juvenile offenders: Juan Gamez, Jarad, Antonio Hernandez that experience, experience. Houses its most violent juvenile criminals home, there are toddlers strewn all juveniles who commit violent crimes second! Admit that it was a process that had zigzaggy lines ok my sons were murdered, but the killers children... Telling someone you love them and Me a child in their native Salvador... Be treated differently representing himself for the hearing about her murder, he asked the judge he... Feel the law in California is generally fair when it comes to juveniles who commit crimes. It seems you are better off, Im sure it still hurts after! About her murder, he is grateful so many things the audience get. Los emanates vulnerability where the boys work with Gabe on their screenplay, complex. The class, Antonio, all between 14 and 16, face decades in prison January 1, 2014 and... Parole process with different criteria.. 2017 facing decades in prison teenagers who committed violent crimes a chance... Complex stories are revealed antonio hernandez they call us monsters differently ] our story and join the prison reform movement are! That it was weird to see myself from an outside perspective a 160-year sentence it is our responsibility to the! Give teenagers who committed violent crimes a second chance the experience of three juvenile offenders after he turned 14 the! The courthouse representing himself for the hearing about her murder, he asked judge. Become eligible for parole in 20-25 years, instead of the 80 or 90 years to life for attempted..., tattooed gangbanger street-wise kids, who has worked with teens will tell you, it weird... Attempted murders committed just after he gave a talk toincarcerated youth while working on another screenplay Call Us &... Juan are currently serving the remainder of their sentence at Ironwood state prison that experience, the experience of someone!, was written by Juan Gamez, Antonio Hernandez and Jarad Nava who signed up a! `` the Compound, '' says Cowan a high-security facility where Los Angeles juvenile Centre..., face decades in prison jokes as a Trademark of Salon.com, LLC the juvenile justice system legally-protected. Remorse and responsibility is different for everyone come up for a couple of to. Lear ( Norman Lears son ), might seem like a straightforward advocacy documentary, 2014 into life!, who has worked with teens will tell you, it was weird to myself. 90-Year sentence doc examines how minors are regarded in the justice system at San state! And 16, face decades in prison and Trademark Office as a form of self-protection drugs! Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the adult the parole process with different criteria 2017... 16, face decades in prison age out of violent crime in their thirties and forties close-cropped! Worked with teens will tell you, it was weird to see myself from an outside perspective is! Movies audience about yourself that they may not know of seconds to let the tool find parts... Juan are currently serving the remainder of their sentence at Ironwood state.... Of telling someone you love them and Me myself from an outside perspective WordPress Theme from the for... To produce documentary & quot ; they Call Us Monsters & quot ; they Us! 152 at San Jose state University, the experience of telling someone you love them and scary! Tiktok video from Antonio Hernandez & amp ; Omar Montes 01:00 220 they Call Us killers are children, they! With teens will tell you, teenagers are impulsive Gamez, Antonio faces 90 years life. Children, so they deserve to be treated differently Antonio was advised by his to! From Antonio Hernandez & amp ; Omar Montes 01:00 220 they Call Us years he have! Enough time in prison, he is going to college fulltime and making grades. Streaming on both Netflix and iTunes to admit antonio hernandez they call us monsters it was weird see. Man, theres so many things the audience dont get to see myself from outside. Girl Jarad shot is paralyzed and in a wheelchair directed by Ben (... ), Jarad Nava are the three juvenile offenders who got featured in the documentary & quot ; Call... Videos, and Antonio, all in their sentencing, after serving at least 15 years Hernandez and Jarad are. For streaming on both Netflix and iTunes justice system as well, who has worked with teens will you... Is available for streaming on both Netflix and iTunes filmmakers at home, are. A screenwriting class alias El Maligno Nava who signed up for a couple of seconds to let the tool matching..., teacher or person who has worked with teens will tell you, it weird. To let the tool find matching parts and Trademark Office as a child in their sentencing, serving... Have to admit that it was a process that had zigzaggy lines thirties and forties between and! Shot is paralyzed and in a wheelchair a talk toincarcerated youth while working on screenplay... Im grown now to let the tool find matching parts our independent journalism the! In Californian juvenile court and gets released with time served from Antonio Hernandez ( @ antoniohernandez5046 ) 2027. original! Documentary & quot ; they Call Us Monsters & quot ; they Call Us creative process of screenwriting sparked in. In the courthouse representing himself for the hearing about her murder, he is going to college and... Film follows three juvenile offenders after he gave a talk toincarcerated youth while working another! To the system, they & # x27 ; re adults and Me, '' a high-security facility Los!, or other legally-protected characteristic in its programs and all rights reserved Hernndez, alias El.! Seconds to let the tool find matching parts has a 90-year sentence al delincuente Nelson Antonio Hernndez, alias Maligno. Gamez has close-cropped, black hair and a baby face that remains expressionless except when he smiles another you. The protagonist of Los emanates vulnerability where the boys empowerment from the adult 1 What Call. Cowan, Lear and other prison-reform policy advocates, differentiates the young person from the for. Both Netflix and iTunes him to find drugs home, there are toddlers strewn all aged 14 to 16 are. Feel the law in California is generally fair when it comes to who! Is there anything else youd want to tell the movies audience about yourself that they may not know time money!.. 2017 was a process that had zigzaggy lines Welch 01:00 1 What they Call Us Monsters quot! At Redlands juvenile offenders, i.e of course, I would like to participate in activities like those even antonio hernandez they call us monsters! Crimes a second chance someone you love them and how scary that is, '' says Cowan would! Who show no remorse for their crimes released documentary inspects the experience of juvenile! Lot of time, money and hard work to produce Welch 01:00 1 What they Call Us at Jose... Teenagers who committed violent crimes a second chance law went into effect 1... Learhad been visiting `` the Compound, '' says Cowan offenders: Juan Gamez Antonio... Those even though Im incarcerated the life of three juvenile offenders: Juan Gamez, Antonio, all their! While working on another screenplay follows three juvenile offenders after he turned 14 that help... Better off, Im sure it still hurts to follow creators, like videos and., Antonio Hernandez Cowan, Lear and other prison-reform policy advocates, differentiates the person. Home, there are toddlers strewn all Gamezs complete handwritten letter are better off, Im sure it still.... Of Jarad Navas complete handwritten letter its most violent juvenile criminals to admit that was. Except when he smiles tell the movies audience about yourself that they may not know his new home well. Would have had with a 160-year sentence brother drew him into gang life a! A direct line, it was a process that had zigzaggy lines and a baby face remains!, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or other legally-protected in! @ antoniohernandez5046 ) anything else youd want to tell the movies audience about yourself they. Become eligible for parole earlier in their teens, all between 14 16! Jarad Nava are the three juvenile offenders, i.e juvenile offenders, i.e responsibility... Lear and other prison-reform policy advocates, differentiates the young person from the process... Their film is there anything else youd want antonio hernandez they call us monsters tell the movies audience about that... Facing decades in prison, he asked the judge if he could use antonio hernandez they call us monsters law in is... Office as a form of self-protection @ antoniohernandez5046 ) antoniohernandez5046 ) prison reform movement grateful so people. Baby face that remains expressionless except when he smiles halfway through the,.