Vol.
XXXIV
Feb 9, 2025
[THE MAIN EVENT]
I Am Ready, Warden is nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Short Film category. Director Smriti Mundhra sat down with UpRising to discuss the emotional rollercoaster she experienced documenting the last days of John Henry Ramirez, who was executed by the state of Texas for murdering Pablo Castro in 2004.
UpRising: Congrats on the nomination. How did you find this story?
Smriti Mundhra: I came across the writing of this woman named Carrie Inger, who at the time was a reporter for The Marshall Project. She covered Texas prisons — specifically death row. Her writing was really soulful, beautiful, and full of humanity about the men on death row. I was drawn to it so I reached out to her and said, I still want to make something on this topic, but not an innocent case. I wanted to make a film about somebody who admitted he committed a heinous crime, claims to have changed and atoned and really examines our capacity for forgiveness.
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[REWIND]
Be, Common
Topline: The streetwise poet’s first Kanye-produced classic — with two gems from Dilla — spoke to and for the people.
Run it back: “Be (Intro),” “Faithful,” “Go!,” “Testify,” “The Corner,” “The Food”
Chris Brown, Chris Brown
Topline: The kid could sing and dance, but could he run it? Years later, Breezy’s first album made that question seem silly.
Run it back: “Run It!,” “Yo (Excuse Me Miss),” “Poppin’”
