California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla is again making history, this time by hosting a film festival.
The same institution that hosted the first graduation of peer support specialists, worldwide, is now the first to host a film festival inside a women’s prison.
The institution hosted the San Quentin Film Festival at CCWF. This March 28 event celebrated the work of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated filmmakers.
First film festival inside women’s prison
The event featured screenings of award-winning short films from the 2025 San Quentin Film Festival. This was followed by a filmmaker panel moderated by comedian and television host W. Kamau Bell.
Awards were also presented for a Narrative and Documentary Pitch Competition, open exclusively to incarcerated women at CCWF and California Institution for Women.
The event included a “Women in Film” panel and Q&A, providing incarcerated women insight into the entertainment industry. This gave the incarcerated women an opportunity to interact with working professionals in the field. The panel was moderated by Lakisa “Kiki” Crowder, an incarcerated writer for the in-prison newspaper CCWF Paper Trail.
“San Quentin Film Festival at CCWF offers incarcerated participants a powerful platform for self-expression and storytelling. (This also offers) valuable exposure to the film industry and potential career pathways,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber.
From film festival to film industry careers
Since its inception in 2024, participants of the San Quentin Film Festival have leveraged experience gained to pursue careers in the film industry after release. They have gone on to earn internships and other job opportunities. It aligns with CDCR’s goals to provide incarcerated people with the tools they need to successfully and safely reenter their communities.
Cori Thomas, award-winning playwright, screenwriter, author, and co-founder of the festival, was thrilled with the transition to CCWF.
“We are deeply moved to be playing a small part in helping to even the playing field for these women,” she said. “We hope the experience will empower them to tell their own stories and bring their unique perspectives to the table. Today’s event will (hopefully) lead to additional industry engagement.”
Watch the video below.
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