What people are saying:
This documentary is an incredible, transformative resource that we absolutely NEED everyone to see—it will undoubtedly change the way they’ve viewed justice and policing. – Olayemi Olurin, Movement Lawyer and Political Commentator
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“Reimagining Safety” is an era-defining documentary. With the increased tension between local police agencies and the people they should be “serving and protecting,” many people have become disillusioned with not only the police, but the system they represent. Matthew Solomon has captured the angst and despair of the people perfectly, as well as offering solutions many have been afraid to embrace...until now. This doc will be a part of political education classes for the Panthers from now until the abolition of the police as we know them is a reality. - Bunchy Carter, Minister of Defense The Black Panther Party Washington State
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This is an absolute must-see documentary for any friends or family member who looks at you like you have 7 heads when you talk about a world without police. Seriously, stop arguing with them, make them watch this, and thank me later. No one film will convert critics, but it WILL change how they view policing and the number of your heads when discussing it. – Chuck Modiano, Justice Journalist.
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“Reimagining Safety” boldly presents the history of policing in the United States while shining a light on the racial injustice that has been perpetuated on poor, Indigenous and Black and brown people. What I appreciated most about the film was that it didn’t just show the problem with policing, it showed the solutions that reduce the need for police and that empowers communities to police themselves. – Movita Johnson-Harrell, CEO of MECA, Inc. and Founder of The CHARLES Foundation
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Our community was incredibly moved after our screening of “Reimagining Safety.” Both powerful and practical, this film is a great resource for facilitating conversations not only about the issue of policing, but what ought to be done to achieve a more just future. If you're looking to galvanize your neighbors into taking meaningful action to transform the legal system, you MUST share this documentary with them!!" - Sam Benavides, Communications Director, Mano Amiga
I honestly have never seen such an efficient breakdown of policing and mass incarceration, from its history to its current state, and even the continued fight against the harmful carceral system. When I learned this was shot on an iPhone I was even more blown away! If you have folks grappling with the concept of defund or abolition, this is the documentary for you!
- Ananda Tomas, Founder of ACT 4 SA
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Wow! Profound and thought provoking! Reimagining Safety is a must see for all of us who are committed to changing America's current system of prison and policing that is known to be ineffective. Our San Jose screening at CreaTV was a huge success! Those in attendance are asking for more show dates, many were excited that our community came together and they want others to have the opportunity to see the film. Thank you Matthew Solomon and all the experts in the film for a job well done! – Carmen Brammer, CEO/Founder Global Majority Consulting LLC
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Wow. This film was really impressive. The information provided was unlike any other racial justice documentary I've watched. It has so much power and really urges viewers to open their minds. It opened up a conversation about police that allowed my mind and thinking to expand. It inspired me so much to want to gain more knowledge on the subject, as it fully affects our daily lives, our safety, and our community. - The Blackbird Film Festival.
“Reimagining Safety” speaks to the challenges and questions we “as a people” have today. People want answers and this film puts it all into perspective. Powerful film! – Bella B, The People’s Film Festival.
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Anyone skeptical about the importance of abolition as a practice and a policy position should absolutely see this movie. It's informative, entertaining, and packages the fight for abolition in a way that brings people in. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in building stronger, better, communities. – Imani Oakley, Political Strategist
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“Reimagining Safety” challenged me in the best of ways, but simultaneously made me think, maybe I’m not the only one. I learned that my disgust with the police system is shared, and that others are already living the abolitionist life I could learn to live, too. - Beatrix Weil, Chaplain, Rhodes College.
The film made abolition seem not only digestible but the only possible answer, which I appreciated. Prison abolition can be a hard pill for many people to swallow. Reimagining the world is very difficult when all you’ve known is that a certain amount of change is possible. - Leila Riker, The 5C Prison Abolition Collective, Maya Zhan, The Student Life, March 2023.
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“Reimagining Safety” introduces the audience to the multifaceted conversation of abolition by taking a practical look at the role of policing, analyzing the results and offering alternatives. Unarmed people are murdered with the use of public funding - without addressing this reality, we ensure that more innocent lives will be taken at the hands of the state; this film is a doorway to that difficult conversation. Anyone interested in learning about police violence and abolition should see this film. – David Virone, Food Not Bombs.
This is a fantastic documentary. It touches on all the topics we grapple with in this moment and it was a beautiful experience to have a conversation about abolition with 180 other individuals in the city of Memphis, TN. Incredibly grateful for Matthew and his film. – Chelsea Glass, Decarcerate Memphis.
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"Reimagining Safety” takes an intelligent look into policing and crime in America and challenges the status quo. A MUST-WATCH for this whole country. – The Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival
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“Reimagining Safety” does an excellent job of highlighting the systemic issues with policing and incarceration in the US today, while also connecting with the deeply personal impacts of policing on those featured in the film. The film draws on the testimony of these experts who can not only name the issues, but also provide actionable, evidence-based solutions. It challenges us to start thinking about what we can start doing today to connect with each other and make our communities safer. A must watch. – Bineh Ndefru, President, The Science Policy Group at UCLA
“This was a very real and challenging look at the reality of what we are called to in our society as the next level of evolution. [“Reimagining Safety”] is a thoughtful exploration of the context of how we got here and a hopeful examination of what it will take to move to the next level of human community. – Marc Wendt, Men’s Wisdom and Performance Coach
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It was utterly compelling and perfectly explained the rationale behind the movement to shift funding from policing, and especially the militarization of our police forces, to other social services and fundamental human needs…education, healthcare, housing, and so on. – Elisa Camahort Page, Business Consultant
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The movie provided an unflinching view of the American policing system, from the perspective of people who loved their communities and humanity so much that they have personalized this fight. – Serria Rego, Creator of “Black Wealth Matters: An Educational Series”
"Reimagining Safety" provided us with valuable insight into the negative consequences of policing and incarceration, which have a detrimental impact on entire communities. It served as an opportunity for our community to collectively educate ourselves and listen to the personal experiences of those affected by policing and incarceration. Most important, it inspired us as a community to reimagine safety by not only learning about but putting into action new approaches. - Decarcerate KC