A powerful new documentary, The Strike takes an look at the 2013 hunger strike that saw 30,000 prisoners across California protest against indefinite solitary confinement.
Set against the backdrop of Pelican Bay State Prison, a notorious supermax facility designed for mass-scale solitary confinement, The Strike, a new documentary directed by Joebill Muñoz and Lucas Guilkey, traces how the movement began as a whisper among prisoners and escalated into a statewide act of resistance. Through firsthand testimonies from the hunger strikers, never-before-seen footage from inside Pelican Bay, and insights from state prison officials, the documentary unveils the systemic cruelty of solitary confinement and the extraordinary power of prisoner-led organizing.
More than just a critique of the criminal justice system, The Strike challenges traditional true-crime narratives by centering the voices of those most affected. By weaving together decades of personal and legal history, the film highlights the human cost of mass incarceration and the fight for dignity behind bars.
Don’t miss this compelling documentary that sheds light on one of the largest prison protests in U.S. history. The Strike premieres February 3 on PBS.ORG, the PBS app, and PBS YouTube.
