Powerful Film Highlighting the Transformative Power of Education Comes to the Emerson
Join us! On February 25th at 7 pm, the Emerson Theater will be hosting the celebrated film A Place to Stand. The evening includes a Q&A with Jimmy Santiago Baca — renowned poet and the film’s subject.
When he was sentenced to five years in an Arizona prison on a narcotics charge, Jimmy Santiago Baca was 21-years-old. Like many who end up in prison, Jimmy had been in and out of institutions throughout his life, starting when he and his two siblings were placed in an orphanage when Jimmy was just a small child.
As a teenager, Jimmy spent periods of time in school, but got into trouble often, sometimes winding up in juvie or jail. By the time he received that five-year sentence in 1973, Jimmy had somehow never learned to read.
“The most painful thing about not knowing how to read or write is that you can’t express your emotions,” says Jimmy. “You can’t conceptualize imaginatively. It takes away that whole realm.”
Now, as one of the most well-known living poets in America, Jimmy has mastered the art of expressing his emotions through the written word.
The documentary tells the story of how Jimmy first discovered the power of language while behind bars in one of the most violent prisons in the country, detailing Jimmy’s struggle to teach himself to read as well as his radical transformation from violent criminal to beloved poet.
A Place to Stand encapsulates an honest, raw tale of personal growth that shows just how possible it can be for anyone to overcome their circumstances.
● DETAILS:
6 PM – VIP Reception with Jimmy Santiago Baca & Director Daniel Glick (tickets available by request – info@aplacetostandmovie.com)
7 PM – Screening
● VENUE:
Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture – Bozeman, MT
● TICKET INFORMATION:
$10/each – available online at aplacetostand.brownpapertickets.com, at Movie Lovers or at the door.
● MORE INFO:
Visit us online at www.aplacetostandmovie.com. Get in touch with our press contact, Karen DeCotis, at kdecotis@gmail.com or 406-600-0918.