When a Witness Recants poster

When a Witness Recants

A reckoning 36 years in the making

0.0(0)20261h 52m1

In 1983, author Ta-Nehisi Coates learned that a 14-year-old boy was murdered in his Baltimore middle school. Upon revisiting the case, he uncovers the truth: Three innocent teenagers were wrongfully convicted and spent 36 years in prison — creating a lasting impact on the accused, the witnesses, and their community.

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Status
Released
Budget
—
Box office
—
Language
English
  • middle school
  • wrongful conviction
  • 1980s
  • innocent in jail
  • middle schoolers

Behind the camera

Director

Dawn Porter

Produced in

United States of America

Where to watch

Availability for Australia. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.

Gallery

Still from When a Witness Recants

Videos

Release dates

  • United StatesUS

    • PremiereSundance Film Festival27 Jan 2026
    • PremiereMartha's Vineyard Film Festival27 Mar 2026
    • PremiereMinneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival11 Apr 2026
    • PremiereMaryland Film Festival12 Apr 2026
    • PremiereFull Frame Documentary Film Festival18 Apr 2026
    • PremiereSan Luis Obispo International Film Festival24 Apr 2026
    • PremiereChicago Critics Film Festival4 May 2026
    • PremiereSeattle International Film Festival11 May 2026
    • PremiereProvincetown International Film Festival10 Jun 2026
    • PremiereDC/DOX - Documentary Film Festival12 Jun 2026
    • PremiereBentonville Film Festival18 Jun 2026
    • PremiereDialogues Documentary Film Festival 26 Sept 2026
    • PremiereMill Valley Film Festival 5 Oct 2026
    • PremierePhiladelphia Film Festival16 Oct 2026
    • PremiereVirginia Film Festival 24 Oct 2026
    • PremiereDenver Film Festival 26 Oct 2026
    • Theatrical (limited)NRCinema Village (New York City, New York)30 Oct 2026
    • PremiereIndie Memphis Film Festival 7 Nov 2026
    • Digital / OTTHBO Max17 Nov 2026
    • TVHBO17 Nov 2026
  • CanadaCA

    • PremiereHot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival29 Apr 2026

Frequently asked questions

When a Witness Recants was released on 30 October 2026.

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