CIVIL BRAND American Directions

Starring Lisa Raye, DaBrat, MC Lyle and Mos Def, CIVIL BRAND is a hip-hop tale of young black women behind bars who rise up against the “prisons for profit.”

After Frances, a young nurse and mother in an abusive marriage, kills her husband in self-defense,s he is locked up in a prison that harvests human labor for profit. The Warden is a businessman who attempts to line his pockets by increasing the labor pool to attract more business at the inmates’ expense. When Frances befriends four other inmates, together they form the family unit they never had on the outside, realizing the corporations they work for are not on their side.

With great clarity, CIVIL BRAND showcases a truly gifted ensemble of actors. What makes the film special is its utterly credible realization of place and character. In revealing the underpinnings of the hardened of heart, Neema Barnette’s CIVIL BRAND sheds light on the arduous road to change.