"Donnie from Death Row" is an autobiographical short film of a death row inmate. He recalls the two events from his childhood that shaped his forever: The moment he realized his mother would never love him, and the first time he was sexually abused.
The film would be shot and directed on a local empty theater stage. Similar to the film Dogville or a stage production of Our Town, the set design would be stripped back to emphasize the narrative and actors’ performances. An empty theater would serve as a metaphor for the circumstances that lead him to Death Row: An urgent cautionary tale but no one is there to listen.
The director, Cole Bankston, has seen success with other inmate collaborations. His animated documentary "Loser by Birth" screened at several film festivals across the country including the Nashville Film Festival and Atlanta Docufest.
Americans view death row as a sort of asylum for the worst human beings imaginable. This film will offer another perspective on death row and allow viewers to grapple with the moral and political complexities of our prison system.