Shackled Roots Film: When childhood begins behind bars

Imagine being sentenced to a life you didn’t choose.

That’s the reality for thousands of children whose mothers are incarcerated — punished not for a crime they committed, but for the circumstances they were born into.

We all know the pivotal role a mother plays in a child’s development. From shaping their earliest emotions to building the foundation of who they will become, a mother's presence is irreplaceable. Yet, when she is placed behind bars, her influence — her love, her guidance, her role — is stripped away.

And what’s worse? There is no national mandate — no standard, no protection — for how we treat these women or their children during incarceration or after release. These children, already at a disadvantage, are often overlooked, forgotten, or worse — funneled into the same broken system that imprisoned their mothers.

This isn’t just unjust. It’s a generational sentence.

We are developing a film that dares to tell this story — raw, unfiltered, and heartbreaking. It will walk beside the children left behind, and the mothers struggling to be seen, heard, and humanized. Through their eyes, we will reveal the full, devastating impact of a system that punishes motherhood, dismantles families, and repeats itself over and over again.

Our goal is not just to tell a story — it’s to spark a movement. We are calling for a nationwide, standardized plan that protects and prioritizes the children of incarcerated mothers. These children deserve nurture, not neglect. They deserve justice, not judgment.

This is not just a film. It’s a call to action.

THE SET UP:

18 years ago, a journalist captured the only known photo of a shackled woman giving birth inside a California prison. Now, as the cycles of incarceration threaten to claim another generation, he returns to witness whether resilience, motherhood, and love can break the chain.

THE FILM:

Eighteen years ago, I Mark Allen Johnson was that young journalist with a press badge and a borrowed camera. I was granted rare access to the Central Valley’s women’s prison in California — including the usually off-limits ward for incarcerated pregnant women.

That's where I met Laura - in labor and shackled to a hospital bed.

It was brutal. Human. Unforgettable.

Against all rules, I took one photo. Just one. Raw and unfiltered, it’s the only image of its kind in the world — and the only photo ever taken of Laura and her newborn daughter, H*****.

One frame. One mother. One story the system tried to bury.

Laura’s story should have ended like so many others: recidivism, addiction, and systemic invisibility. But somehow, she broke free. Released, re-arrested, and released again, she eventually moved to Texas, got clean, and is now the director of a drug rehab organization. Her daughter, H***** — first raised by Laura’s mother, then by Laura herself — is now an honor student with a full-ride scholarship and a budding modeling career.

Against every odd, they made it. But that’s only part of the story.

Just last month, Laura took custody of S***** — her former cellmate’s 14-year-old daughter. S*****'s mother, a close friend and fellow survivor of the prison system, is back inside after being caught with a

handgun and drugs — a violation that guaranteed a return sentence. S*****'s father, like H*****'s, was/is incarcerated. And now, Laura is staring down the same crossroads her own mother once faced — raising a girl teetering on the edge of the system.

S*****, fresh off living on the streets as a teenager for six months and then a stint in the foster system, has been getting into trouble and is actively flirting with the same path that led Laura and S***’s mom to prison. Laura can barely go to work without fearing what she’ll come home to — or whether S***** will even be there at all?

This story raises a critical question: Can love, support, and stability truly rewrite a child’s path? Or are some cycles nearly impossible to escape?

**** The film will go beyond Laura’s story to highlight a range of ethnically diverse female perspectives. It will also explore broader issues such as parole, probation, and the systemic cycle of incarceration that impacts countless lives.

WHY NOW?

This film is unfolding in real-time — with high emotional stakes, deep access, and an extraordinary archive stretching nearly two decades. With women being the fastest-growing population in U.S. prisons, and

intergenerational incarceration rising, *Shackled Roots* is a story America urgently needs to see.

WHAT THIS FILM EXPLORES:

* The intergenerational cycle of incarceration

* Motherhood inside and outside prison walls

* Systemic trauma, addiction, and redemption

* Nature vs. nurture in real time

* The unseen impact on children of incarcerated parents

* The personal role of the journalist-filmmaker in long-form observation

ACCESS:

As the original photographer and journalist, I have built trust over nearly two decades with Laura and her family. I have access to never-before-seen images from inside prison — and access to document

Laura, H*****, and S***** as their futures hang in the balance. I’m also working with other women—both currently incarcerated and formerly imprisoned—who gave birth behind bars and are now fighting to reunite with their children or raise them alone, often without support, as their loved ones—their primary support structures—remain incarcerated.

OUR INSTAGRAM

ABOUT THE TEAM:

THE FILMMAKER / JOURNALIST

Mark Allen Johnson is a director, journalist, producer and entertainment executive whose work spans major networks and publications including TIME, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, National Geographic, BBC, Netflix, FOX and DISCOVERY. His 2024 documentary Sentenced, released on Peacock and co-produced/narrated by NBA star and 4X champion Stephen Curry, explores America’s illiteracy crisis. His upcoming 2025 projects include an immersive investigation into intergenerational trauma on Navajo and First Nations reservations.

Filmmaker website

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PRODUCER

Alexandra Hitchcock is a writer, director, and producer who works across both narrative and documentary film. Her work has premiered at festivals like Sundance and aired on platforms such as Hulu, Apple TV, Paramount+, and Nowness. A jack of all trades and a quick study, she thrives in high-pressure environments and brings a fearless approach to every project. With a sharp creative instinct and a knack for making things happen, Alexandra is the kind of producer who gets it done, no matter what it takes.

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EXECUTIVE IN CHARGE OF PRODUCTION

Billie June Sturtevant - With over 20 years of experience. She has produced and overseen all genres including Unscripted, Scripted, Documentary, Shiny Floor, Game Show, Digital, Live Events, International Travel, Environmental Marketing, Touring, and Special Events. She's proficient in managing teams, operational infrastructure, P&L, cash flows (in excess of 150 million per annum), budgeting, cost reporting, and achieving revenue objectives.