‘Independent Lens’ traces prisoners in Arizona who find their Hawaiian heritage

Hear the story of two Native Hawaiian prisoners sent 3,000 miles to a for-profit prison in Arizona in “Out of State,” a new film coming to Independent Lens on Monday, May 6, at 11:30 p.m.

WATCH: Independent Lens “Out of State”

Shipped thousands of miles away from Hawaii to a private prison in the Arizona desert, two Native Hawaiians discover their indigenous traditions from a fellow inmate serving a life sentence.

Filmed over four years at Arizona’s Saguaro Correctional Center, David and Hale find a community of other native Hawaiians and discover their indigenous traditions from a fellow inmate serving a life sentence. Hoping for a fresh start and eager to prove that the experience has changed them forever, the two men finish their terms and return to Hawaii. But once on the outside, they struggle with life’s hurdles and wonder if it’s possible to ever go home again.