Exodus made its World Premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film & Television Festival where it was a Nominee for the SXSW Grand Jury Award, Documentary Short Competition category. Nimco Sheikhaden (“I Dream a Dream That Dreams Back at Me” TV movie) is the director and stars Trinity Copeland and Assia Serrano.
The short documentary explores two women navigating life post incarceration. As these women work towards their future, humanity reminds us that their past is not the totality of who they are. This film has themes of renewal, what family truly means, and loss.
IMDb Storyline: Two women navigate life after prison, seeking redemption and healing while rebuilding fractured family bonds. As they face society’s judgment, they must reconcile their past actions with their hopes for a meaningful future.
From the film website: Exodus is an intimate portrait of two women who face unique challenges following decades of incarceration. The film bears witness to their impassioned attempts to rebuild their lives and ultimately restore their humanity.
The film is very good in that it presents the story from the two women, one who remains back in her hometown and the other who was deported right after release, leaving her children and family, including her mother. They are distinctly different individuals, and the story follows them from the release from jail to addressing issues with their family, as well as how to move ahead.
The Director’s Statement on the film can be found on the film page, as well as bios on the Executive Producers: https://www.exodusdocumentary.com/ Visit the film’s page to get updates on future screenings at festivals or other venues/cities.
Executive Produced by Geeta Gandbhir, Blair Foster & Rudy Valdez
2025 | U.S. | 35 minutes, 9 seconds
Source: IMDb, SXSW, exodusdocumentary.com
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