DC author George Pelecanos and filmmaker Stephen Kinigopoulos, who met on the set of HBO’s The Wire, visited the Book Club at the DC Jail to share their short film The Confidential Informant and discuss the complicated relationship between fathers and sons.

Stephen Kinigopoulos and George Pelecanos

Stephen Kinigopoulos and George Pelecanos outside the DC Jail

A writer born and raised in Washington, DC, Pelecanos is perhaps best known for his role as producer, writer, and story editor for the acclaimed HBO series The Wire, in addition to being the author of eighteen novels set in and around DC.

Pelecanos is also the author of the short story “The Confidential Informant,” which was published in the 2005 anthology D.C. Noir. As the editor and lead writer of this anthology of stories detailing the darker side of the nation’s capital, Pelecanos notes that “It’s about the collective memories of the locals, and also about the voices.”

Shortly after D.C. Noir was published, Pelecanos decided to reach out to Stephen Kinigopoulos, a young director who grew up on the set of The Wire where his mom styled hair for the show’s actors. Together, Kinigopoulos and Pelecanos produced a 20-minute film that has already received an award for Outstanding Local Film at the 2015 DC Shorts Film Festival.

The collective memories begin with the voice of Verdon Coates, Jr. in a story called “The Confidential Informant.” Written by Pelecanos, the plot details a young man who serves as an informant for the DC Police Department while constantly striving to earn his father’s love and respect. Set in the Park View neighborhood of DC, “The Confidential Informant” addresses the complicated relationship of father and son in a city that is ready to render them both obsolete.

In the weeks leading up to the movie screening at the DC Jail, the teenage members of the Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop read the short story from D.C. Noir and wrestled with the complex issues in the plot and the characters’ relationships.

Kinigopoulos, Mein, Donahue, Pelecanos

From left: Stephen Kinigopoulos, John Mein, Kevin Donahue, and George Pelecanos

On the day of Pelecanos and Kinigopoulos’s visit, the 25 young readers gathered in the jail chapel with tangible excitement. After Book Club member DeAngelo stood and officially welcomed Pelecanos and Kinigopoulos, he turned to welcome and introduce DC Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kevin Donahue and staffer John Mein, who were also present. Pelecanos and Kinigopoulos gave a brief introduction to the short film, and the lights dimmed as the group watched The Confidential Informant.

Afterwards, the youths were extremely engaged, and had lots of questions for Kinigopoulos and Pelecanos. They were particularly interested in the process of making a film and translating a story to a screenplay. One Book Club member, Melvin, was so encouraged by Kinigopoulos’s answers that he moved out of his chair and to a chair closer to the young director to hear him better.

Deputy Mayor Kevin Donahue was grateful for the introduction and thanked DeAngelo personally, shaking his hand.

When asked what he thought of the movie screening and visit, Book Club member Donte said, “I loved the story from the start. But to have a visual made it real for me. And everyone looked like I wanted them to look. You know how you picture it in your head and then sometimes it’s different in the movie? It was right. I could understand where Verdon was coming from because of the way his father treated him like he wasn’t nothing. It made me want to write my own movie about my life. I can already see the opening shot. It would be me, just a little boy walking to school.”

Demitrich, another Book Club member, spoke to Pelecanos and Kinigopoulos with gratitude, saying, “I appreciate your visit. You inspired me to write every day and to dig deeper to find ways to make what I write connect with real life. This film was really touching to me and it made me realize things I never noticed before. Like that most people will do anything to please their parents. And their parents usually just don’t get it.”

We would like to thank Mr. Pelecanos, Mr. Kinigopoulos, Mr. Donahue, Mr. Mein, and everyone at the Department of Corrections for helping to make this event possible.

By Jess Lawson, Program Coordinator

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