Amos, a middle-aged man is granted a coveted pass for 6 hours to be on the “outside" after years of incarceration. This film unfolds to present his choices on his first day of real freedom. What will he do? Who will he see? How do you fix broken relationships, and will there be consequences if Amos doesn’t return on time?

The genesis of this short film project, Six Hour Pass, started after time volunteering at the Safer Foundation in Chicago, an organization dedicated to the successful re-entry of previously incarcerated individuals. They provide services such as housing support, behavioral healthcare, training, and employment.

This eye-opening experience and direct interaction with those enrolled in the program led to the development of a screenplay centered on the fictional character Amos, a middle-aged man who has been granted a coveted six-hour pass to be on the “outside.” The film follows his choices on his first day of real freedom: what he will do, who he will see. It explores themes of regret, forgiveness, and the structural rigidity of the pass system, asking what the consequences are if Amos does not return on time.

In 2024, with a nudge from Alderman Walter Bennett (27th Ward), the creation of the city’s Department of Re-entry was launched, with $5 million in dedicated aid supporting over 10,000 Chicagoans returning from jail. This film is timely in that it engages the question of how individuals are prepared for release and aligns with the city’s current efforts to help mitigate recidivism.