Synopsis

IN OUR SON'S NAME is an intimate portrait of Phyllis and Orlando Rodríguez, whose son, Greg, dies with thousands of others in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The bereaved parents choose reconciliation and nonviolence over vengeance and begin a transformative journey that both confirms and challenges their convictions.

They speak out against war in Iraq and Afghanistan, publicly oppose the death penalty of avowed 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and befriend his mother. As their search for meaning evolves they speak out against anti-Muslim actions and find peace in working with prison inmates.

Their marriage strengthens, and they reach a deeper understanding of their rebellious son, who had just begun to find his way when his life was cut short. The film mixes in-depth interviews with on-location footage and striking archival photographs and video to create a deeply personal story that invites us to re-consider conventional concepts of justice and healing.

The film showing and discussion at the American Society of Criminology conference was wonderful. We had an excellent discussion about the ways your remarkable In Our Son's Name models restorative values . I was taken by the theme of movement, which represented personal and community growth without facile 'closure'. Thank you for your work and especially for going against the grain. Lois Pressor
Professor of Sociology, University of Tennessee, author of Why We Harm and Narrative Criminology

You cannot help but be impacted by the humility and grace that Phyllis and Orlando show in the face of their son's murder, nor to ask yourself, "Would I be able to do the same?" Shannon Moroney
Restorative Justice Advocate and author, Through the Glass