Edgar Alexander Barens is a renowned Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker and dedicated social activist, whose impressive career has spanned the realms of both stressful prison environments and high-stakes film production.
Throughout his illustrious career, Barens has cultivated a unique ability to establish strong relationships with both prison authorities and prisoners themselves, a crucial element in ensuring the success of his film projects.
His documentaries have garnered widespread acclaim, with numerous awards and accolades at film festivals both nationally and internationally. Barens has also presented his work at hundreds of prisons across the United States and has participated in prominent criminal justice symposia and conferences globally.
Notably, his documentary "A Sentence of Their Own" received the prestigious CINE Golden Eagle and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency's PASS (Prevention for a Safer Society) award, which recognizes filmmakers who focus on the American legal system in a thoughtful and understanding manner.
In 2014, Barens' film "Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall" received an Oscar nomination, as well as a nomination for Best Short Subject Documentary by the International Documentary Association, and was broadcast on HBO. This critically acclaimed film provides a poignant and thought-provoking account of the profound impact the hospice experience can have on the lives of the incarcerated.
Edgar Alexander Barens holds a Bachelor's Degree and Master of Fine Arts in Cinema and Photography from Southern Illinois University, and currently resides in the Chicago area with his husband.
