"This is my first day out, I’ve been inside 20 years" | Raw Stories of the First Hours of Freedom

Video Description

Every year, thousands of men walk out of prison and into a world they barely recognize. In Huntsville, Texas, this raw, unfiltered story captures their first moments of freedom—clutching red bags, wearing secondhand clothes, and facing a future filled with uncertainty. Some are met with family and hope, others with loneliness and fear. Torn between redemption and relapse, their choices begin the moment they leave the gate. This powerful documentary reveals the emotional struggles, broken systems, and impossible odds faced by ex-inmates trying to rebuild their lives. Freedom isn't the end of the sentence—it's just the beginning. Original Title : 12th Street: Life Beyond Bars Director : Matthijs Heesemans, Gregory W. Lovett