The Adachi Project’s New Film Series “Off the Record” Uses Art to Tell Untold Public Defender Client Stories. The films were screened at the Roxie Theater and highlight the vital work of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office.
On Dec. 2, 2025, the Adachi Project screened three new films to a full house at the Roxie Theater in the Mission District. The short films are part of a series called “DEFENDER–Off the Record.” They feature the lives of one current and two former clients of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office—Sal, Prezi, and Julia—all of whom have transformed their lives in artistic and spiritual ways to support their families and uplift their communities. A fourth film, originally created to support a client’s sentencing mitigation, was also shown.
Following the screening, filmmakers from EVEN/ODD and the film subjects then joined San Francisco’s elected Public Defender Mano Raju for a panel conversation moderated by legendary Bay Area film director and music icon Boots Riley.
“As public defenders, we represent people whose humanity is too often flattened and whose identities become defined by the system. That’s why it’s important for us to work with these incredible filmmakers to bring our clients’ multi-dimensional stories to life and on their own terms,” said Raju.
The Adachi Project is a unique partnership between the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, EVEN/ODD, and Compound that was unanimously approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2021. The Project was started in honor of Raju’s predecessor, the late San Francisco Public Defender and award-winning documentary filmmaker Jeff Adachi. The storytelling initiative illuminates timely stories and unseen perspectives within the U.S. criminal legal system. Its mission is to deepen public understanding of the human impact of “justice,” elevate the voices of those most affected by systemic inequities, and help advance a vision for a more equitable and compassionate society.
“These types of cinematic, character driven documentary films set in the S.F. Bay Area have been in the DNA of Even/Odd since its inception. We’ve earned a reputation for creating work that cuts through the noise and shifts culture,” said Even/Odd Founder Mohammad Gorjestani. “As community members and storytellers it would be an abdication of our skills and expertise to see this need within our community and to not answer that call. We’re proud to continue to support The Adachi Project as it fights to both spread understanding of the human impact of ‘justice’ on our communities and its vision for an equal and just society.”
“Off the Record” adds to three previous Adachi Project films that are available at WeAreDefender.com. The new films are not yet widely available to the public, but may be available for further screenings.
- “Off the Record–Sal” introduces a gifted visual artist, loving husband, and devoted counselor whose hard-won parole from a California state prison was immediately derailed by a transfer to an inhumane immigration detention center. Nearly losing hope, Sal regained his freedom thanks to the tireless advocacy of his public defenders and supporters throughout the state. Sal’s application for a pardon from Governor Newsom to help protect him from deportation is pending.
- “Off the Record–Prezi” brings us into Prezi’s community of Hunters Point to redefine a neighborhood long misrepresented by police and mainstream media. After beating a case with the help of his public defender, Prezi discovered a newfound sense of self-worth and responsibility. Today he is an acclaimed rapper, devoted father, and active community role model who invites us to see his neighborhood as an extended family.
- “Off the Record–Julia” centers on profound moments of connection between Julia and her 13-year-old daughter, whom she is committed to raising in a safer, more loving environment than the one she inhabited at 13. A gifted Aztec dancer who has found her calling as a powerful community advocate, Julia shares her personal and spiritual evolution and how she uses her lived experience as an impoverished and incarcerated youth to help lift other young women out of the street economy to reach their full potential.
The new films were made possible by a grant from the Ford Foundation’s JustFilms division. The screening at the Roxie Theater was presented by EVEN/ODD and Compound in partnership with Film SF, Center for Asian American Media, and the Young Women’s Freedom Center.
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