"I think I've learned to love the unlovable." – Pastor Joe Hoeflinger
This documentary centers on the relationship between Larry Thompson, an Ohio inmate, and his reentry mentor Pastor Joe Hoeflinger of Sylvania, Ohio. Larry and Joe met over a decade ago after Larry returned to prison to serve out his fourth prison sentence. Brought together by a Christmas card, the two men describe their journey to develop, teach, and publish a reentry curriculum that helps those released stay out of prison. The film reveals how Larry came to be incarcerated for more than half his adult life, Joe's commitment to loving the unlovable, and the ways our judicial system fails to recognize reform beyond time served. Reentry Realities, Hope Deferred. is distributed by the National Educational Broadcasting Association (NETA).