Film Urges Rethink of Justice System, Spotlights Theater and the Arts as Catalysts for Change

In this 40-minute documentary, director and producer Shuvendu Sen spotlights formerly incarcerated individuals who reclaim their voices through theater.

Internationally respected physician, author, speaker and filmmaker, Dr. Shuvendu Sen

As the U.S. grapples with mass incarceration and the struggle for second chances, Broadway, Bars, and Fortune delivers an urgent new lens on redemption.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, November 3, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Broadway, Bars, and Fortune, a compelling 40-minute documentary from director and producer Shuvendu Sen, showcases how theater and the arts can serve as powerful tools for healing and redemption among formerly incarcerated individuals. The film celebrates New York City’s The Fortune Society, one of the country’s leading reentry organizations, and the life-changing impact of theater programs.

“Broadway has become an emotional point of rehabilitation,” Sen said. “This film shows how theater, both inside and outside prison walls, can serve as a powerful healing tool—one that reduces trauma, crime and recidivism.”

The documentary features The Fortune Society founder and Broadway personality David Rothenberg and four inmates-turned-actors—Philip Hall, Casimiro Torres, Ervin Hunt and Vilma Ortiz Donovan—who share their raw and inspiring journeys of trauma, transformation and reintegration into society.

Acclaimed actor John Savage, known for The Deer Hunter and Hair, praised the film, saying, “I watched the film. It was a loving performance. Wonderful to share with everyone. Very, very important to hear everyone's story. From the heart. The true words of a human being. Thanks for everyone's participation. I love you all.”

Tony Award-winning actress Christine Ebersole, acclaimed actress and director Marcia Jean Kurtz, and Eric Krebs, founder of multiple theaters in NYC, also appear, providing context and guidance around the transformative power of the arts.

Broadway, Bars, and Fortune has received Official Selections in two mainstream Film Festivals: The New York Lift-Off Film Festival and The Hispanic International Film Festival. It was also screened at the iconic Hollywood Theater in Portland, Oregon, on October 11.

About the Director
An internationally respected physician, author, speaker and filmmaker, Dr. Shuvendu Sen’s works have been awarded, translated into several languages, institutionalized and highlighted through documentaries and films. Trained at the New York Film Academy, Sen’s screenplays have been selected at the Los Angeles Film Festival, New York Screenplay Awards, Rome Prisma Film Awards, Hollywood Verge Film Awards and Gold Movie Awards, among others. He is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from AmeriCorps and the Office of the President of the United States, and the Castle Connolly Top Doctor’s Award. Sen’s pioneering contributions include advocacy for the wellness of incarcerated individuals, healthcare of marginalized populations, creation of university programs leading to employment and advocacy in the Opioid crisis.

For more information, please visit http://shuvendusen.com/.

Trish Stevens
Ascot Media Group, Inc.
+1 832-334-2733
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.