From Sundance to San Quentin: Cori Thomas

By Isabella Cain, UBFSF Media & Marketing Director

When playwright and advocate Cori Thomas first walked through the halls of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (formerly San Quentin State Prison), she carried assumptions shaped by the stories society often tells us about incarceration. However, when faced with reality those assumptions quickly disappeared. What Thomas found was a community of talented writers, filmmakers, journalists, and artists whose creativity had long gone unseen. Rather than asking what had brought them to prison, she became interested in what they had to say, and how the world might finally listen.

That realization sparked an idea that would take years to become reality: the San Quentin Film Festival, the first film festival ever held inside a carceral space. Co-founded by Cori Thomas and filmmaker and journalist Rahsaan “New York” Thomas, the festival was built on a simple but powerful belief: that storytelling has the power to restore dignity, build community, and inspire healing.

For many people, film festivals celebrate famous actors, directors, and red carpets. At San Quentin, the focus is different. The festival celebrates human experiences. It creates a space where incarcerated and formerly incarcerated filmmakers and storytellers can share stories that challenge stereotypes and reveal the complexity, resilience, and hope that exist behind prison walls. Award winners are selected not only by industry professionals, but also by an “inside jury” made up of incarcerated filmmakers, ensuring that the voices of those living the experience remain central.

The journey to opening night in October 2024 was anything but easy. The project required years of planning, navigating institutional approvals and bureaucratic red tape, surviving delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, and building partnerships with artists, volunteers, and organizations committed to expanding opportunities for incarcerated creators. Cori Thomas drew upon nearly two decades of experience working with the Tribeca Festival while relying on the dedication of volunteers inside and outside San Quentin who believed that creative expression could transform lives.

The impact of the festival extends far beyond two days of screenings. It has become a place where people form meaningful connections through shared stories. Families, correctional staff, artists, and members of the public gather alongside incarcerated filmmakers to experience films together, not separated by labels, but united by the universal language of storytelling. That shared experience reminds us that culture is something we create together, even in places where hope can sometimes feel distant.

Today, that vision continues to grow. The San Quentin Film Festival has expanded its programming to other correctional facilities, including the Central California Women’s Facility, bringing filmmaking opportunities and creative collaboration to even more incarcerated artists. Workshops, screenplay competitions, and mentorship opportunities are helping participants develop practical skills while encouraging them to imagine futures shaped by creativity and purpose.

Cori Thomas often speaks about wanting to change the narrative surrounding incarceration, not by speaking for incarcerated people, but by creating opportunities for them to speak for themselves. That distinction matters. Healing begins when people are seen, heard, and valued for their humanity rather than defined solely by their past.

Culture is more than traditions or history. It is the stories we tell about ourselves and the communities we build around those stories. Through the San Quentin Film Festival, Cori Thomas has helped create a community where creativity becomes connection, connection becomes understanding, and understanding becomes another step toward healing. For anyone who has ever wondered whether their voice matters, her work offers a clear answer: every story has the power to change someone’s perspective, including your own.