Cumberland School of Law Hosts HBO’s The Alabama Solution Screening Jan. 13

Cumberland School of Law brought HBO’s award-winning documentary The Alabama Solution to the John L. Carroll Moot Courtroom at Samford University on Jan. 13, convening law students, filmmakers, and members of the public for a focused look at prison conditions and accountability in the state.

Hosted by the law school’s Civil Rights Center alongside the Christian Legal Society, the screening highlighted the documentary’s investigative approach to alleged coverups inside Alabama’s prison system. The film has drawn strong critical attention from outlets such as the LA Times, IndieWire and Variety, and its presence on campus turned a routine screening into an intersection of independent film practice and legal scrutiny.

Special guests and creators were announced as present for the event, giving attendees direct access to people involved in the film’s production and reporting. Cumberland students who attended were eligible to receive one public interest service hour, a detail that linked the screening to curricular and professional development goals for future lawyers and public interest advocates.

The documentary’s focus on systemic conditions and accountability gives the screening clear practical value for local audiences. For law students, public defenders and civil rights advocates, the film supplied material for classroom application and possible casework implications. For independent filmmakers and documentarians in Alabama, the event demonstrated how regional venues - particularly law schools and legal centers - can serve as effective sites for impact screenings that reach decision makers, stakeholders and engaged citizens.

Program organizers emphasized the documentary’s investigative rigor and its potential to catalyze informed discussion about prison reform. Bringing filmmakers into a legal setting underscored the documentary’s dual life as both a piece of independent cinema and a tool for civic engagement. The choice of the John L. Carroll Moot Courtroom placed the film within the procedural heart of the law school, reinforcing the connection between storytelling and legal accountability.

The screening is part of a wider trend in Alabama toward using documentary film as a platform for policy conversation and community action. For Alabama’s indie film community, the turnout and institutional support at Cumberland School of Law offer a model for future collaborations between filmmakers and legal organizations. The event also signals continued public interest in prison conditions, setting the stage for more local screenings, discussions and partnerships that bridge filmmaking and reform efforts.