Institute History
Description
“I was in prison before I was even born.” So begins the story of Dr. Victor Rios who, by 15, was a “dropout” and gang member with a death wish. But when a teacher’s quiet persistence, a mentor’s moral conviction, and his best friend’s murder converge, Rios’s path takes an unexpected turn. Rios’s story, interwoven with the stories of his mentors, proteges and, most importantly, 40 “pushout” youth in Watts, California, reveals that young people we know as “dropouts” are often pushed out of school by systemic forces beyond their control.
Credits
As you use our Online Archives, please understand that the information presented from Festivals, Labs, and other activities is taken directly from official publications from each year. While this information is limited and doesn't necessarily represent the full list of participants (e.g. actors and crew), it is the list given to us by the main film/play/project contact at the time, based on the space restrictions of our publications. Each entry in the Online Archives is meant as a historical record of a particular film, play, or project at the time of its involvement with Sundance Institute. For this reason, we can only amend an entry if a name is misspelled, or if the entry does not correctly reflect the original publication.
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