2015, USA, Director and Producer: Roger Weisberg; 25 min.
Infamous as the birthplace for the saying “being sent up the river,” Sing Sing prison is now home to Hudson Link, an innovative “college behind bars.” First Degree follows three inmates as they pursue degrees, mentor at-risk youth, and prepare for life on the outside. In the process, the film offers compelling evidence of the redemptive power of education.