20/26

Elwood Curtis’ college dreams are shattered on a two-lane Florida highway. After suffering the ultimate burden of an innocent mistake, he is sentenced to the underworld of Nickel Academy, a brutal correctional facility in the Jim Crow South. He meets fellow inmate Turner, who has seen it all. The two black teenagers form an alliance, with Turner sharing vital survival tips and Elwood holding onto his optimistic outlook. Against the backdrop of the burgeoning civil rights movement, Elwood and Turner seem worlds apart from the brilliant oratory of Reverend Martin Luther King. Despite Nickel’s cruelty, Elwood struggles to maintain his humanity, sparking Turner’s newfound vision.