Organized by California Performing Arts Av
Support PAROLED the film!
PAROLED – A Film About Second Chances, Healing, and Hope
A California Performing Arts AV Community Project
PAROLED is more than a film.
It is a mirror held up to the forgotten stories of people who carry invisible trauma, unseen wounds, and unspoken fears. It is a voice for those who walk out of incarceration with hope in their hearts—but chains on their spirit.
Why This Story Matters.
I know this story personally because I lived it.
I know what it feels like to be released from prison and still feel trapped. To want to do better, to be better, yet face stigma, judgment, closed doors, and systems that weren’t built for your success.
PAROLED is not about glorifying pain—it’s about healing through truth. And it’s about showing the world that people deserve second chances, dignity, support, and love.
What the Film Is About
PAROLED follows Melissa, a woman returning home after serving time, as she tries to find her footing in a world that has moved on without her. She grapples with:
• Reconnecting with her identity
• Facing PTSD and emotional residue of incarceration
• Navigating family relationships
• Finding employment while carrying a record
• Trying not to return to the same environment that once broke her
Every moment in this film reflects a reality that so many people face when they leave prison:
Life doesn’t just start over—it restarts with obstacles.
Why We Need Your Help
This project is being produced by California Performing Arts AV, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) located in Palmdale, CA dedicated to healing through the arts, uplifting at-risk youth, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people reentering society.
To tell this story with authenticity and respect, we are partnering with real returning citizens, local artists, community members, and first-time actors who want to use their voices to help others.
Your donation will help us cover:
• Production equipment
• Location permits
• SAG-AFTRA talent
• Costuming and props
• Transportation and meals for cast and crew
• Post-production editing and scoring
• Community screenings and outreach
How PAROLED Will Help the Community
This film will not only raise awareness—it will change lives.
• We are creating paid opportunities for returning citizens who rarely receive them in the filmmaking world.
• We are giving local youth hands-on film experience, mentorship, and creative leadership opportunities.
• We are opening conversations about mental health, trauma, and reintegration that our community desperately needs.
• We are providing workshops, screenings, and panel discussions to help families understand what their loved ones face when coming home.
• We are using art as a tool for healing, empowerment, and social change.
PAROLED is designed to spark compassion, dismantle stereotypes, and show audiences that formerly incarcerated individuals are not problems—they are people. People who deserve to be seen, understood, and supported.
Your Support Makes This Possible
Every dollar counts.
Every share matters.
Every act of support helps us reach someone who needs this story.
By supporting PAROLED, you are:
• Helping us create life-changing opportunities
• Helping us tell a story that rarely gets told
• Helping us give a voice to people who feel invisible
• Helping us build a better, more compassionate community
From the bottom of my heart: thank you.
Thank you for believing in second chances.
Thank you for standing with us as we bring this powerful film to life.
Together, we can change the narrative.
Together, we can heal.
Together, we can help someone feel seen.
– Melissa Kaye Bontempt
Writer & Director, PAROLED
California Performing Arts AV – Healing Through the Arts
Every contribution, big or small, makes a real impact. Even just a few dollars can help move this mission forward and reach those who need it most.
If you can’t donate right now, a follow or sharing this fundraiser is also incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity. It means the world to me.
- M
- M
- P
3 supporters
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