HOPE'S ALIVE - CCWF prison choir with special guest Arrested Development

An original song by incarcerated women.

On June 9, 2008, filmmaker Yoav Potash arranged for the music group Arrested Development to visit the Central California Women's Facilty, the largest prison for women in the United States.

The band came to record songs with the prison’s gospel choir for the award-winning documentary film “Crime After Crime,” which follows the legal battle to free Deborah Peagler.

At the end of the recording session, the inmates shared a song that they had written themselves.

Roughly recorded in a single take with two mics, their song is called HOPE’S ALIVE.

Some of these women are still in prison. Some of them are now free. And some of them are no longer living. But their song, and their message of hope against all odds, remains alive.

Produced, Directed & Edited by:
Yoav Potash

Audio Engineering:
Bill Stefanacci
with Karl Bartlett

Camera Operators:
Gail Dolgin
Ben Greenwood
Dan Moses
Yoav Potash
Glenn Starry