Freddie Nole in golden afternoon light

The Second Life of Freddie Nole

A ride to freedom becomes a road to second chances.

A vérité short documentary · Directed by Dana Nachman

Nominee, Best Documentary Short — Raindance Film Festival 2026 Official Selection — Tribeca Festival 2026 Official Selection — DC/DOX Film Festival 2026 Official Selection — Heartland Indy Shorts 2026
SF DocFest — SF Documentary Festival Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Short — Cleveland International Film Festival Audience Choice Award, Best Documentary Short — Royale Film Festival 2026
Official Selection — Cinequest Film Festival Official Selection — Omaha Film Festival 2026
Freddie Nole at the wheel
Play Trailer

When Freddie Nole drives to meet a man walking out of prison, he's not just offering a ride, he's offering hope, dignity, and a path to permanent freedom. As this vérité road trip unfolds, we come to learn the remarkable story behind Freddie's mission — a staggering mistake that cost him 50 years of freedom but ultimately brings him right back to the prison door.

The Story

The Second Life of Freddie Nole is a vérité short documentary film that follows Freddie, a magnetic and deeply compassionate man, who spends his days meeting newly released citizens at the prison gates, offering not just a ride but a shot at redemption. Part buddy movie, part road trip film, the story unfolds over the course of a single day as Freddie and his friend Steve Chile, the first man he ever picked up, help Ed as he takes his first steps into freedom.

Freddie comes across as an affable grandpa, quick with a laugh and full of warmth, but subtle clues suggest there's more to his story. As the day unfolds and quiet acts of generosity reveal his character, we learn that Freddie has done this more than sixty times and remarkably, most of the men he helps thrive, defying the national recidivism rate that sees more than half of formerly incarcerated people return to prison.

We grow to love Freddie for who he is now before discovering what he once endured and what he overcame. Only at the end of the journey do we learn that Freddie spent 50 years in prison for a mistake he made at 17. Tender, unexpected, entertaining and transformative, this film redefines what it means to truly get a second chance.

Why It Matters

A Story With a Mission

600,000+
people are released from America's prisons every year
60%+
are rearrested within three years
80%+
are rearrested within ten years
120+
people Freddie has picked up from prison — nearly all remain free

Partners

The film partners with reentry programs that provide critical resources for returning citizens during and after their release — including Meeting at the Door, the program Freddie founded to meet newly released citizens at the prison gates with a ride, a meal, and the support to begin again.

More partners to be announced.

Screenings Inside Prisons

As part of its impact campaign, The Second Life of Freddie Nole will screen inside prisons — offering incarcerated individuals a story of hope, peer mentorship, and the transformative power of paying it forward.

Freddie's journey shows that even after decades behind bars, a life of purpose and connection is still possible — and sometimes it starts with the simple act of showing up for someone else.

Press

What Critics Are Saying

“Glorious… one of the great finds of this year's Tribeca and a must see.” Unseen Films
“Powerful. Moving. Inspirational.” The Movie Crush
“This is a beautiful and amazing, inspirational, educational, ‘all the things’ type of a film. This does it all.” Nerds Rule the World
“Fantastic.” My Harlem Portraits
Creative Team

The Filmmakers

Dana Nachman

Director

Filmmaker and founder of Sweet World Films, known for emotionally powerful documentaries streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max. Her films include Witch Hunt (executive produced by Sean Penn), Pick of the Litter, and Dear Santa. A former journalist, she makes films that spark empathy, action, and hope.

Chelsea Matter

Producer

A documentary producer whose films have premiered at Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, Full Frame, and IDFA, with distribution through Netflix, Hulu, IFC, and History. As Dana Nachman's producing partner she co-showruns the Hulu series Dear Santa. A Stanford graduate and Impact Partners Producers Fellow.

Kurt Kuenne

Editor

A filmmaker, editor, and composer who writes, directs, edits, and scores his own work. He is best known for the documentary Dear Zachary and the acclaimed short Validation. A graduate of USC's School of Cinema-Television, he brings a storyteller's instinct to the edit.

Don Hardy

Director of Photography

Co-founder of KTF Films and a documentary director, producer, cinematographer, and editor. A former NBC photojournalist, his work spans films including Pick of the Litter, The Human Experiment, Batkid Begins, and Citizen Penn.

Dave Tweedie

Composer

A Los Angeles–based composer and multi-instrumentalist whose scores include Batkid Begins, Pick of the Litter, and the series Dear Santa. A drummer turned producer and film composer, he writes music with warmth and emotional lift.

Executive Producers

  • Josh Braun
  • Ryan Harrington
  • Cheryl Hurd
  • Rudy Valdez
  • Harris Barton
  • Megan Barton
  • Clayton Keller
  • Jeanine Keller
  • Melissa Petkov
  • Youli Petkov
  • Amanda Peiffer
  • Nikki Pope
  • Eric Wiesen
  • Marika Wiesen

Co-Producer

  • Joanne Lubeck Esser

Consulting Producer

  • Samantha Grant
On the Festival Circuit

Screenings

FestivalScreeningsFestival Dates
Heartland Indy ShortsIndianapolis, IN
Wed, July 22 · 7:30pmFri, July 24 · 4:30pm
July 21–26, 2026
Thu, July 23 · 3:00–5:00pm · SHORTS: Resilience & Recovery · Gunter Hotel (2nd Floor, William B. Tobin Room)
July 23, 2026
Wed, July 15 · 4:00pm
July 13–18, 2026
BraveMaker Film FestivalRedwood City, CA
Thu, July 9 · 1:00pm · Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
July 9–12, 2026
Fri, June 19 · 3:45pmSat, June 20 · 8:20pm
June 17–26, 2026
DC/DOXWashington, DC
Sun, June 14 · 2:15pm · Regal Gallery Place, Theater 9
June 11–14, 2026
Audience Award WinnerRoyale Film FestivalBisbee, AZ
Fri, June 12 · 7:00pm
Late June 2026
Tribeca FestivalNew York, NY · 25th Anniversary
Fri, June 5 · 2:30pm · Shorts Theater, Spring StudiosThu, June 11 · 8:30pm · Shorts Theater, Spring StudiosSat, June 13 · 5:15pm · AMC 19th St. East 6
June 3–15, 2026
Audience Award WinnerSF DocFestSan Francisco, CA
Sat, May 30 · 3:30pm · Roxie Theater (House 1)
May 28–June 7, 2026
Sat, May 2 · 1:00pm
April 30–May 3, 2026
Napa Valley StreamFestNapa Valley, CA
Fri, April 24 · 4–6pm
April 23–26, 2026
Audience Award WinnerCleveland International Film FestivalCleveland, OH
Tue, April 14 · 2:20pmWed, April 15 · 11:30am
April 9–18, 2026
CinequestSan Jose, CA
Sat, March 21 · 2:25pmSun, March 22 · 2:15pm
March 10–22, 2026
Sat, March 14 · 7:10pmSun, March 15 · 6:30pm
March 12–23, 2026
Wed, March 11 · 6:00pm
March 10–15, 2026

More festivals to be announced. A press screening link is available upon request.

Follow the Journey