PCJP documentary makes stars out of students
The story had all the makings of a great drama: A group of law students, most of whom have never argued in court, representing inmates who have exhausted nearly all of their legal options to challenge unfair sentences.
That's why Vincent Pagazza and JP Patterson decided to make "Last Hope," a documentary that follows USC law students as they try to win court decisions - and in some cases, outright freedom - for clients in USC Law's Post-Conviction Justice Project (PCJP).
The filmmakers have shot nearly 30 hours of footage of clinic students meeting with their clients and supervising attorneys, Michael Brennan and Gwynnae Byrd. They've also interviewed inmates at the California Correctional Facility, officials in the governor's office and state senators. But most of the film will focus on the work of the students, Christina Moore '04, Brad Chapin '04, Erin Smith '04 and London Kemp '03 - all of whom are representing victims of battered women's syndrome.
"The most compelling thing about this film is the students," says Patterson, who is producing the film. "They don't have a lot of experience but they have a lot of heart. They're giving their heart and soul to each case."
"The film is called 'Last Hope' because if these women didn't have these students working for them, they wouldn't have anybody," says director-producer Vincent Pagazza, a former fashion photographer and a commercial director. "They're fighting such an uphill political battle."
"The camera can be a very powerful tool to give voice to otherwise unheard stories," adds Patterson.
The documentary is scheduled to be finished in the spring. Negotiations are underway with PBS for television distribution, Pagazza says.
Brennan and Byrd have been cooperating with the filmmakers because they hope it will bring positive attention to PCJP, the students and the important issues surrounding their cases.
"I hope the documentary will make a serious message about the futility of California's parole system," he says.
