ABOUT THIS NON-PROFIT PROJECT 

 

The filmmakers hope to complete funding for a non-profit documentary about the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville, Iowa. The film focuses on the Grinnell Liberal Arts in Prison Program, in which college students teach classes to inmates at a maximum-security women�s prison.

 

While a student at Grinnell, Noga Ashkenazi, the film's director/writer/producer, was an active volunteer at the Prison Program for 4 years, and filmed her experience teaching a Feminism course to the female inmates at ICIW.

WHAT WE NEED

 

The money you donate on IndieGoGo will be used to complete post-production on the film, which is currently being edited in Los Angeles, CA. Over the coming months, we aim to raise $80k in order to finish the film and distribute it to film festivals and liberal-arts colleges, hoping to inspire others to create similar educational programs in prisons around the country. In the near term, we hope to raise $10k in order to fund the first phase of post-production. 

 

Once post-production and distribution expenses are paid in full, we plan to donate 100% of the film's remaining proceeds to non-profit women�s advocacy groups.

FILM SYNOPSIS

 

 

 

 

 

Through a series of captivating class discussions, an intimate group of female inmates share their diverse experiences with motherhood, drug addiction, sexual abuse, murder, and life in prison.

 

 

 

The Grey Area challenges the common, black-and-white ways of thinking about the institution of Prison and the people who are incarcerated within it. The film attempts to reveal the blurred lines between the typical notions of good vs. evil, victim vs. offender, and explore the ambiguous �grey area� that is often invisible within the prison walls.

 

 

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

 

 

Noga Ashkenazi (Director/Writer/Producer)

Noga Ashkenazi grew up in Tel-Aviv, Israel where she began her career as a writer/director of music-videos and short films. In 2002, her film Musical Chairs won the Audience-Award at the International Jerusalem Film Festival. Due to the film�s commercial success, it was selected to air several times on Israeli cable TV.  In 2009, Noga graduated from Grinnell College as Valedictorian of her class with a Liberal Arts Degree in Theater and Dance. During her study-abroad, Noga spent a year studying Filmmaking at the prestigious Sorbonne University in Paris, France. Following her graduation, Noga moved to Los Angeles where she worked for celebrated actors/filmmakers, John Malkovich and Faye Dunaway. Noga currently works as the Director of Development at Skyline Pictures, on the Paramount Studios lot. The Grey Area will be Noga�s feature documentary debut.

 

Amelia Peterson (Editor)

 

Amelia Peterson is a Los Angeles-based freelance editor originally from Omaha, Nebraska.  After graduating with a degree in Broadcasting from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, she pursued editing and traveling, which eventually took her to the Maine Media Workshops where she worked as a Staff Editor for the Post Production facilities before moving across the country to Los Angeles.

Eric Santiestevan (Composer)

 

Eric Santiestevan is a film composer and songwriter.   He has been drawn to music ever since he walked headfirst into a stereo speaker at the age of 3, necessitating a few stitches.  He began to write jazz and choral arrangements while at Harvard and then went on to play in several rock bands before enrolling in the UCLA Film Scoring program.  Since 2005, he has been composing for feature films, shorts, and webisodes, including the documentary Divided We Fall and the web series The Hustler.  

 

 

 

ABOUT THE GRINNELL COLLEGE IN PRISON PROGRAM

In the spring of 2003, a Grinnell College professor and four of his students decided to go into the Newton Correctional Facility for Men to teach a creative writing class. Soon, the Grinnell Liberal Arts in Prison Program was launched and now involves over 50 student-volunteers who teach a variety of liberal arts courses in philosophy, history, playwriting, theater, and art. This student-run, student-staffed volunteer program quickly evolved into a life-changing experience for both college-students and inmates who share their passion for teaching and learning.

 

Read more: http://thegreyareamovie.com/about/prisonprogram/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

The greatest contribution you can make to this film is by helping us spread the word!