309-732-2920 | 1528 3rd Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201
The Quad Cities Regional Film Office is proud to announce two film screening events added to the Alternating Currents lineup on Sunday, August 17.
The events will be held at the Circa 21 Speakeasy, 1828 3rd Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201 and are free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
4:00 p.m.
Screening of Academy Award Nominated Documentary Prison Terminal; The Last Days of Private Jack Hall by Cinematographer, Producer and Director, Edgar Barens.
The powerful and deeply human documentary Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall offers audiences a rare and intimate look at the final days of a terminally ill inmate inside one of America’s oldest maximum-security prisons.
Directed and produced by Edgar Barens, Prison Terminal was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject in 2014. The film was shot on location at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, Iowa, where Barens spent six months capturing the moving story of Jack Hall, a decorated World War II veteran serving a life sentence. The documentary highlights the prison’s unique inmate-run hospice program—an extraordinary testament to compassion and dignity behind bars.
This special screening aims to spark important conversations about aging, end-of-life care, and restorative justice within the American prison system. The screening is 39 minutes. A Q&A will follow the screening to further explore these themes. Film time is 39 minutes; Total time 90 minutes.
6:30 p.m.
Augustana College Student Film Award Showcase. Augustana College invites the community to experience an evening of bold storytelling and cinematic creativity of the Augustana College Student Film Award Showcase, featuring original short films by students in the college’s Film Major Program.
This year’s showcase offers 8 films that encompass a dynamic mix of genres—ranging from gripping crime dramas and moody noir to laugh-out-loud comedies, powerful documentaries, and evocative historical narratives. Each film reflects months of writing, production, editing, and collaboration that encompasses all 3 levels of production in the film program at Augustana College.
The screening not only celebrates the diverse voices and perspectives of Augustana’s student filmmakers, but also highlights the growing impact of the college’s film program in preparing students for careers in the film and media industries. Moderated by Assoc. Prof. Stacy Barton, Augustana Film Program Director
A Q&A will follow the screening that will include State of Illinois Film Office Deputy Peter Hawley and Documentary Filmmaker Edgar Barens. Film time is 58 minutes; Total time: 90 minutes.