The Dhamma Brothers

About the Project

East meets West in the Deep South. An overcrowded maximum-security prison--the end of the line in Alabama's correctional system--is dramatically changed by the influence of an ancient meditation program.

Behind high security towers and a double row of barbed wire and electrical fence dwells a host of convicts who will never see the light of day. But for some of these men, a spark is ignited when it becomes the first maximum-security prison in North America to hold an extended Vipassana retreat, an emotionally and physically demanding course of silent meditation lasting ten days.

The Dhamma Brothers tells a dramatic tale of human potential and transformation as it closely follows and documents the stories of the prison inmates at Donaldson Correction Facility who enter into this arduous and intensive program. This film, powerfully dismantles stereotypes about men behind prison bars and in the words of Sister Helen Prejean (Dead Man Walking), "gives you hope for the human race."

The Fledgling Fund Impact

The Fledgling Fund is pleased to provide outreach and audience engagement support for The Dhamma Brothers. While we believe strongly in the importance of a fundamental change in the way we prosecute and convict the accused, we also believe that real reform must also take place within the prison walls. This film has the power to change stereotypes and shows a concrete example of a better way to incarcerate.