The Sundance Film Festival lineup of documentaries presents the pressing concerns within the U.S. criminal justice system. Filmmakers like Richard Linklater, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Debra Granik, and Yance Ford share their perspectives on criminal trials, incarceration, and rehabilitation.

Linklater’s God Save Texas: Hometown Prison doc, inspired by Lawrence Wright’s book God Save Texas, sheds light on Huntsville, the unofficial capital of Texas’ prison system, addressing the humanitarian crisis surrounding executions. According to Linklater via Variety, it’s not only a tragedy for those executed but also “a lot of other people and their families.” It debuts on January 23. 

Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Rob Peace explores the impact of the criminal justice system on families, focusing on a Black prodigy at Yale whose life takes a dark turn as he navigates his father’s wrongful conviction. An adaptation of Jeff Hobbs’ biography The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, the doc marks Ejiofor’s sophomore feature. The film reflects on questions such as “whether the criminal justice and policing system can serve Black communities in a better way, where they can have a fuller faith and trust in the system” and “Is the system kind of broken in this way?” according to Ejiofor. Republic Pictures represents sales on the feature, which premieres January 22.

Debra Granik’s feature Conbody VS Everybody follows ex-convicts finding success as fitness instructors, revealing the dangerous path parolees face upon reentering society. Granik emphasizes the shocking pipeline to incarceration, particularly for those living in marginalized areas. Two episodes of the doc debut on January 23. 

Yance Ford’s Power draws on personal experiences with the criminal justice system. Ford highlights the role of policing in underserved communities and argues that the government’s failure to address social issues has left policing as the only recourse. The film premiered on January 18 in Park City, and a Netflix release is expected sometime between mid-May and early June.

J.M. Harper’s directorial debut, As We Speak, examines the fairness of criminal trials, focusing on rap lyrics in court and the disparities faced by poor defendants, reaching back almost 30 years. The documentary premieres on January 22 in Park City.