Voces, Independent Lens
Skin of Glass
A journey to reckon with Brazil’s harsh inequality begins when filmmaker Denise Zmekhol discovers her father’s architectural masterpiece is occupied by hundreds of homeless people.
Timetracker
Timetracker follows the reentry journey of Jack Powers, a 63-year-old artist living in an RV, as he navigates the world after release from 22 years in solitary confinement.
- Length
- 90 minutes
- Funding Initiative
- Open Call
Director
Pete Quandt
Pete Quandt is a director and cinematographer based in Queens, NY. He’s drawn to working-class communities and stories across the country, with a specific focus on the mass incarceration system. His work has screened at Sundance, Cannes, and MOMA and has been programmed on The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Short of the Week.
Producer
Ike Rofé
Ike Rofé is a documentary filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY whose work has been supported by Ford Foundation and Catapult Film Fund. He leads the documentary division at the independent production company Muddy Water, which is currently in various phases of production and post-production on five feature documentary films.
Creative Producer
Jack Powers
Jack Powers is a multidisciplinary artist. While incarcerated, he spent 15 years formulating “The Manual Program: For Personal Growth," as well as numerous published books, plays, and short stories exploring incarceration and justice. Since his release, Jack is continuing his creative pursuits to further his message.
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The Film
Timetracker follows 63-year-old artist Jack Powers, released from prison after 22 years in solitary confinement. His family story spans six decades of American history, beginning with his father, whose years of experience fighting in Vietnam led to turbulence in Jack’s childhood. Jack spent time in and out of juvenile facilities, ultimately receiving an extended federal prison sentence for bank robbery. In turn, Jack’s son, Johnny, grew up fatherless, later developing an addiction which took his life short at 38, just months before his father’s release.
After leaving prison, Jack meets his wife in the San Francisco Bay Area, and they begin to create a home together, investing in an RV. Jack channels his experiences into art, creating a stop-motion animation series, as well as a life-sized replica of his solitary prison cell. His projects escalate in scale, and he insists on returning to prison to film reenactments of his dark moments.
Jack is deterred by two setbacks—his RV burning down and his 90-year-old father entering hospice care. After a 30-year estrangement, Jack travels cross-country to say goodbye, but his father refuses to see him. He then visits his ailing mother and connects with two figures from his son’s life—Johnny’s ex-girlfriend and a musical collaborator—who provide perspective and support. Jack attempts to find personal healing while making peace with his father’s past and the loss of his son.
