There are a few ways you can spend your time in prison: putting your head down and doing the time, fighting the system that put you there in the first place or simply trying to find a way to survive. But for Mark DeFriest, he spent his time behind bars concocting ways to break out. And his fascinating story is coming in the documentary “The Life And Mind Of Mark DeFriest.”
Directed by Gabriel London, and featuring the participation of Scoot McNairy and Shea Whigham, the film recounts the eighteen escape attempts by DeFriest from various institutions, with schemes ranging from using homemade zip guns to giving medical staff LSD. But why did he want to flee? As this exclusive clip highlights, life behind bars can be brutal, particularly in Florida State Prison, where even seeing daylight and breathing fresh air might be something you do only once per week. No wonder DeFriest wanted out.
Featuring animated sequences alongside the regular documentary format, “The Life And Mind Of Mark DeFriest” premieres at the L.A. Film Festival on Friday, June 13th. Watch below.