Today I had the opportunity to view the documentary ‘Evolution of a Criminal’; a powerful message of moving beyond your past.  The 3rd Annual Black Star Film Festival in Philadelphia presented this film which included a Q&A with the author.  Spike Lee is the Executive Producer and filmmaker, Darius Clark Monroe, is the Director of the film.   The film is about choices that Darius made as a teenager and how his past did not dictate his future. The film also touches on labels that we put on ourselves and the labels that we allow society to put on ourselves and that some chose to own. It also talks about generation after generation repeating the same cycle and the importance of having a strong support system, in Darius case the support system was his family.

As a teenager, Darius chose to engage in a crime for the purposes of helping his family out financially, an action of great intentions but wrong method of achieving a desired result.  As a result of his actions, he faced a difficult road that included a five year prison sentence however rather than looking at the situation as end, he chose to see this as  beginning of something better and to help others.

There are several things that I admire about Darius however the greatest was that he sought out those victims of his crime and tried to make an amends.  That action of seeking forgiveness spoke volumes of his character and integrity.   I highly recommend this documentary, I give it a 5.

More information on the film can be found here: http://www.itvs.org/films/evolution-of-a-criminal