Blue Baby: A Fight for America's Youth
There's no such thing as a "bad" kid.
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DateFebruary 25, 2025
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LocationThe Frank Shiner Theatre
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Ticket Prices2PM, free with registration | 7PM, $20 suggested donation
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AvailabilityOn Sale Now
- Tuesday, February 25, 2025 2:00PM 2:00 PM Buy Tickets
- Tuesday, February 25, 2025 7:00PM 7:00 PM Buy Tickets
Event Details
Blue Baby follows eight formerly incarcerated teens over the course of four years as they navigate life within Boys Town, a community that serves as an alternative to prison. How do they each learn to take personal accountability for their crimes? And how might their crimes be the fault of a society, community, or family that has failed them? And what are the harsh realities and limitations of reformation?
Not all stories have happy endings, but at the heart of the film is the remarkable legacy of Father Flanagan, the visionary founder of Boys Town. Father Edward J. Flanagan became a social reformer and a true visionary for changing how America cared for its children and families, passionately speaking out and taking action on social issues that few dared to address. He believed that children had the right to be valued, to have the basic necessities of life and to be protected. He founded Boys Town in 1917 with one firm, impossibly optimistic belief: There are no bad boys.
Blue Baby explores how this guiding ethic led to one of the most successful and innovative approaches to dealing with problem behavior. Blue Baby paints a realistic picture of what reformation actually looks like and the ideals that propel it forward. It's a story about the necessary clash between desire and reality, vision and outcome, intention and result.
Additional Ticket Information
Purchase a package to see all three films and save, PLUS get a free concession item!
The Horizons of Hope Film Series will take place on Feb 11, 18, and 25 with screenings at 2PM and 7PM. The 2PM screenings are free with registration. The 7PM screenings are ticketed and will be followed by a Q&A with members of each film's creative team, for a $20 suggested donation. Purchase a $40 Star Supporter ticket and generously help off-set the cost of a student or senior's reduced price ticket!
Watch the Trailer
About the "Horizons of Hope" Series
Are people inherently bad? Or are they victims of their circumstances?
Can people who disagree on deeply divisive issues find a way to respect each other? Protect each other?
In our lowest moments, how do we resist isolation and despair to instead choose connection, community, and healing?
These are questions we can frame squarely within the context of faith and spirituality, but they are also the most human of questions to grapple with. What do we do when confronted with our own fallibility, our vulnerability, and our need to love and be loved?
This powerful collection of narratives on film offers a poignant look at the very human faces beneath the sound bites, headlines, and talking points. As each of these individuals face their struggles, we are invited to bear witness to the extraordinary resilience and grace that emerges in the pursuit of healing and hope.