Ensnaring almost four million Americans, probation has evolved from a second chance to avoid prison to a sanction actually feeding mass incarceration. Supported by neighborhood allies, some people of color set out in a whole new way to change all this—equipped only with cameras.
Jonathan Fisher Director, Writer
George Carrano Producer
Project Type: Documentary, Short
Runtime: 31 minutes 6 seconds
Completion Date: August 19, 2021
Production Budget: 51,100 USD
Country of Origin: United States
Country of Filming: United States
Language: English
Shooting Format: Digital
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Film Color: Color
Director Biography - Jonathan Fisher
Jonathan Fisher is the Associate Director of the nonprofit Seeing for Ourselves, which equips and trains marginalized Americans to take charge of their own public narrative. When the pandemic's shutdown of the publishing industry made the nonprofit's intended book about this probation initiative infeasible, Jonathan figured he might instead stitch together available footage into a documentary as an alternative path to public awareness—and began watching Ken Burns's films to see how it could be done. "In a Whole New Way" is his first film.
Director Statement
It has been a privilege to work with such talented photographers in the interest of criminal justice reform. Although we have not yet sought media reviews of the film, we are immensely gratified that "In a Whole New Way" has been featured by festivals; embraced by the probation industry; found fans across the political spectrum; accepted as part of a major museum exhibition of the photography on Long Island, NY; and even taken up by New York State legislators. It is by maximizing eyes on the documentary that a critical mass for justice reform can be built.
Screenings / Awards
Docs Without Borders Film Festival Nassau, DE United States Outstanding Excellence, Inspirational/Motivational Impact
Manhattan Film Festival New York City United States June 23, 2021 World Premiere Offical Selection
Loudoun Arts Film Festival Leesburg United States September 12, 2021 Official Selection
Silicon Beach Film Festival Los Angeles United States October 6, 2021 Official Selection
Amsterdam International Film Festival Amsterdam Netherlands Best Documentary
Paris Play International Film Festival Paris France Best Documentary
Infinity Film Festival London United Kingdom Best Short Documentary
Salt House Creative International Film Festival Sydney Australia Best Short Film
New York Movie Awards New York United States Best Short Documentary
Hollywood Gold Awards Los Angeles United States Best Short Documentary
Oniros Film Awards-New York New York United States Best Short Documentary
Cannes World Film Festival Cannes France Best Short Documentary
Imagine Rain Independent Film Awards Saratoga, CA United States Best Documentary Short
Imagine Rain Independent Film Awards Saratoga, CA United States Best Inspirational Short
Eurasia International Monthly Film Festival Moscow Russian Federation Best Documentary (Under 40 minutes)
International Smyrna Movie Festival Smyrna Turkey Best Social Justice Film
IndieX Film Fest Los Angeles United States Best Sound Editing
IndieX Film Fest Los Angeles United States Award Nominee, Short Documentary
IndieX Film Fest Los Angeles United States Award Nominee, First Time Directing-Male
IndieX FilmFest Los Angeles United States Award Nominee, Editing
Phoenix Shorts Toronto Canada Best Black Lives Matter Short
OTB Only the Best Film Awards Miami United States Best Inspirational Film
Reale Film Festival Milan Italy Best Original Idea
Impact DOCS Awards La Jolla, CA United States Merit Award Winner, Inspirational/Motivational Impact
Impact DOCS Awards La Jolla, CA United States Merit Award Winner, Documentary Short
Accolade Global Film Competition La Jolla, CA United States Merit Award Winner, Documentary Short
Accolade Global Film Competition La Jolla, CA United States Merit Award Winner, Contemporary Issues/Awareness Raising
Virgin Spring Cinefest Kolkata India Outstanding Achievement, Documentary Film
Florence Film Awards Florence Italy Honorable Mention, Short Documentary
Refugees Welcome Film Fest Berlin Germany Award Nominee, Short Film
Barcelona International Film Festival Barcelona Spain Award Nominee, Short Documentary
Bright Future Independent Film Festival-Gothenburg Gothenburg Sweden Award Nominee, Documentary Short
Lisbon CineFest Lisbon Portugal Award Nominee, First-Time Filmmaker
Venice Shorts Los Angeles United States Finalist, Documentary
European Cinematography Awards Amsterdam Netherlands Finalist, Documentary
New York Cinematography Awards New York United States Finalist, Documentary
Tokyo International Monthly Film Festival Tokyo Japan Fiinalist, Documentary
Swedish International Film Festival Stockholm Sweden Finalist, Documentary Short
Rocky Mountain International Film Festival Silverthorne, CO United States Finalist, US Documentary Short
Mindfield Film Festival Albuquerque United States Finalist, Documentary Short
Rome Independent Prisma Awards Rome Italy Semi-Finalist, Short Documentary
Gold Star Movie Awards Newark United States Honorable Mention, Feature-Length Documentary
The Macoproject New York United States Honorable Mention, Documentary
London International Monthly Film Festival London United Kingdom Honorable Mention, Documentary
Tokyo International Short Film Festival Tokyo Japan Honorable Mention, Message of Hope
United Nations Association Film Festival Stanford, CA United States October 25, 2021 Official Selection, Documentary
Cannes Film Awards Cannes France Official Selection, Short Documentary
Bridge Fest Vancouver Canada Official Selection, Short Film
Mabig Film Festival Augsburg Germany Official Selection, Documentary
Montreal Independent Film Festival Montreal Canada Official Selection, Short Documentary
IndieEye Film Awards New York United States Official Selection, Documentary Short
Amsterdam Short Film Festival Amsterdam Netherlands Official Selection, Documentary Short
New York City IO Film Festival New York United States Official Selection, Documentary Short
California Indies Los Angeles United States Official Selection, US Documentary
New York Independent Cinema Awards New York United States Official Selection, US Documentary Short
ZShorts International Film Festival Santa Barbara United States Official Selection, Short Films & Videos
Cult Movies International Film Festival London United Kingdom Official Selection, Short Documentary
Chicago Indies Film Awards Chicago United States Official Selection, Documentary Short
Vegas Shorts Las Vegas United States Official Selection, Documentary Short
Prague International Indie Film Festival Prague Czech Republic Official Selection, Documentary Short
New York Tri-State International Film Festival New York United States Best Human Rights Film
7th Logcinema Art Films Los Angeles United States Official Selection, Short Film
Anatolia International Film Festival Istanbul Turkey Official Selection, Documentary Feature
World Film Carnivale-Singapore Singapore Singapore Best Documentary
Utopia Film Festival Greenbelt, MD United States November 21, 2021 Official Selection, Documentary Short
Toronto Indie Filmmakers Festival Toronto Canada Best Inspirational Film
Euro Film Festival Geneva Geneva Switzerland Official Selection, Documentary
YoFiFest Yonkers, NY United States Official Selection, Short Documentary
Golden Bridge Istanbul Istanbul Turkey Official Selection, Documentary Short
Hong Kong Indie Film Festival Hong Kong Hong Kong Semi-Finalist, First-Time Filmmaker (Short)
Latin America Film Awards Rio de Janerio Brazil Best Documentary Short
International Moving Film Festival Abadan & Khoramshahr Iran, Islamic Republic of Semi-Finalist, Short Films - Documentary
Vienna Indie Short Film Festival Vienna Austria Semi-Finalist, Social Justice
CARE Awards Parkersburg (WV) United States Official Selection, Documentary Short
New Wave Short Film Festival Munich Germany Finalist, Human Rights
Green Mountain Christian Film Festival Randolph (Vermont) United States Official Selection, Secular Film
Roma Short Film Festival Rome Italy Finalist, Short Documentary
Vancouver Independent Film Festival Vancouver Canada Semi-Finalist, Human Rights Short
International Sound & Film Music Festival Zagreb Croatia Official Selection, Short Film
Lulea International Film Festival Lulea Sweden Best First-Time Documentary Film
French Duck Film Festival Paris France Finalist, Documentary Short (29:59-minute version)
Berlin Shorts Berlin Germany Best Black Lives Matter Film
Miami Indie Film Awards Miami United States Official Selection, Best First-Time Filmmaker
Global Shorts Los Angeles United States Best Documentary Short
Redwood Shorts & Scripts Sunnyvale, CA United States Best Documentary Feature
North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival Fargo United States Official Selection, Documentary Short
Fullshot Cine Mag Fest Online Official Selection, Documentary Short
T.I.F.A.-Tiete International Film Awards Sao Paulo Brazil Quarter-Finalist, Documentary Short
Stockholm Short Festival Stockholm Sweden Semi-Finalist, Documentary Short
Gralha International Monthly Film Awards Curtiba Brazil Official Selection, Short Documentary
International Media Arts Film Awards Kambala Uganda Best Documentary
Hollywood International Golden Age Festival New York United States Semi-Finalist, Documentary Short
RED Movie Awards Rheims France Official Selection, Documentary
Brazil International Monthly Independent Film Festival Rio de Janerio Brazil Nominee, Documentary
Mile High International Film Festival Denver United States Finalist, US Documentary Short
Shockfest Film Festival New York United States Honorable Mention, Short
London New Wave Film Festival London United Kingdom Official Selection, Documentary Short
Cairo Indie Short Festival Cairo Egypt Best Human Rights Film
Madrid Film Awards Madrid Spain Official Selection, Half-Length Film
Madrid Film Awards Madrid Spain Official Selection, Director Short
Madrid Film Awards Madrid Spain Official Selection, Soundtrack Short
Florida Shorts (Unlisted) United States Semi-Finalist, US Documentary Short
LA Sun Film Fest Los Angeles United States Official Selection, Short Documentary
52 Weeks Film Festival Thousand Oaks (CA) United States Best US Short Film
Niagara Falls International Short Film Festival Niagara Falls United States Semi-Finalist, Human Rights
Florence Cinefest Florence Italy Offiical Selection, Documentary
Watch Out International Film Festival Philadelphia United States Best Social Feature
Paris International Short Festival Paris France Finalist, Documentary Short
Calgary Independent Film Festival Calgary Canada Semi-Finalist, Social Justice Short
Eight and Halfilm Awards Rome Italy Official Selection, Documentary Short
Hollywood on the Tiber Film Awards Rome Italy Official Selection, Documentary Short
Big Muddy Film Festival Carbondale (Illinois) United States Official Selection, Documentary Under 50 minutes
Washington Film Awards Online United States Semi-Finalist, Inspirational Film
Golden Short Film Festival Rome Italy Official Selection, Golden Documentary Short
Dallas Movie Awards Festival Dallas United States Semi-Finalist, Social Justice Film
Dubai Independent Film Festival Dubai United Arab Emirates Finalist, Documentary Short
World London Film Festival London United Kingdom Official Selection, Short Movie