Experiencing Interruptions?

P.E.N.S. (Poetic Energy Needed in Society)

Amid the city’s museums, historic landmarks, and vibrant nightlife exists a cache of the nation’s most prolific spoken word artists. The community of poets is as diverse as the city it represents. Their words are etched in the very fabric of H-town.

Their story, once the city’s best-kept secret, will finally be told.

Sol-Caritas, LLC CEO, Carlos Wallace, and iRise Filmz Founder, Mikell Limbrick (AKA Fetti), join forces once again. Considered two of Houston’s most creative minds, the pair created a powerful documentary that traces the origins of Houston’s spoken word scene. P.E.N.S. (Poetic Energy Needed in Society) delves into the lives of the city’s most celebrated poets, revealing stories of struggle, abuse, social justice, feminism, race relations, love, hate and much more, all told through the pens of the men and women who helped build the scene from the ground up.

P.E.N.S. is directed and produced by iRise Filmz, the company behind author Carlos Wallace’s promotional video series based on his bestselling book, “Life Is Not Complicated, You Are: Turning Your Biggest Disappointments Into Your Greatest Blessings.”

  • Mikell Limbrick
    Director
  • Liz Faublas-Wallace
    Writer
  • Carlos Wallace
    Producer
  • Varion Howard
    Key Cast
    "Se7en the Poet"
  • Carlos Wallace
    Executive Producer
    P.E.N.S. (Poetic Energy Needed in Society)
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 43 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 16, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    30,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Film Connection Film Institute
  • IndieFEST Film Awards
    La Jolla
    United States
    February 2, 2021
    Award of Merit
  • Canadian Cinematography Awards
    Toronto
    Canada
    August 7, 2021
    Finalist
  • Montreal Independent Film Festival
    Montreal
    Canada
    February 1, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Spotlight Documentary Film Awards
    Atlanta
    United States
    January 16, 2021
    Silver Award
  • )||( - ISAFF
    Saint-Petersburg
    Russian Federation
    March 27, 2021
    Official Selection - Best Feature Film
  • )||( - ISAFF
    Saint-Petersburg
    Russian Federation
    March 27, 2021
    2nd Place - Best Director
  • )||( - ISAFF
    Saint-Petersburg
    Russian Federation
    March 27, 2021
    2nd Place - Best Movie Poster
  • Roma Short Film Festival - Rome
    Rome
    Italy
    March 4, 2021
    Finalist
  • Houston Improv
    Houston
    United States
    May 19, 2021
    Screening followed by (Q & A) session with director, artists and executive producer.
  • New York City International Film Festival, US 2021
    New York
    United States
    February 25, 2021
    Best Human Rights Film - Winner
  • Crown Wood International Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    March 21, 2021
    DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
  • Crown Wood International Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    March 21, 2021
    DEBUT FILMMAKER
  • Crown Wood International Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    March 21, 2021
    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
  • New York Independent Cinema Awards
    New York
    United States
    March 20, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Chicago Indie Film Awards
    Chicago
    United States
    March 20, 2021
    Official Selection
  • LA Independent Film Channel Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    March 21, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Toronto Film Magazine Fest
    Toronto
    Canada
    March 27, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Tokyo International Short Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    April 1, 2021
    Finalist
  • Krimson Horyzon International Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    April 1, 2021
    Best Documentary
  • LA Indies
    Los Angeles
    United States
    April 8, 2021
    Official Selection
  • 11th Annual Charlotte Black Film Festival
    Charlotte
    United States
    June 15, 2021
    Semi-Finalist
  • Killeen Black Art and Film Fest
    Killen
    United States
    May 22, 2021
    Finalist
  • Anatolia International Film Festival Istanbul
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    May 23, 2021
    Best Documentary Feature Film | Best Poster Design | Most Promising Director | Best Art Design
  • Gold Star Movie Awards
    Newark
    United States
    May 26, 2021
    WINNER - Best Feature Length Documentary
  • Freedom Festival International
    Columbia
    United States
    August 19, 2021
    Official selection
  • Holy Grail International Film Festival
    Jerusalem
    Israel
    August 30, 2021
    Award Winner
  • BROOKLYN International Cinefest
    Brooklyn
    United States
    August 31, 2021
    Award Winner
  • World Film Carnival – Singapore
    Singapore
    Singapore
    August 27, 2021
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • kweliTV
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights, Internet, Pay Per View, Paid TV
  • Sol-Caritas, LLC
    Sales Agent
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights, Internet, Video on Demand, Pay Per View, Paid TV
Director Biography - Mikell Limbrick

iRise Filmz raises the art of video and film making to levels that have set a new industry standard. And the company has only just begun to innovate.

Founder Mikell “Fetti” Limbrick turned a long-time passion for creating music videos and short-films into a highly specialized company that is a vanguard in the field of sophisticated video and film production and editing. iRise is based in a state-of-the-art Houston-based production facility outfitted with high-grade equipment, including the latest Sony cinema cameras, advanced Canon cameras, and industry-standard Adobe Premier Pro editing software. Under Mikell’s leadership, the professional staff incorporates years of hands-on experience to turn every artist’s vision into unique, exceptional productions. Whether the company is shooting comedy productions for the country’s top stand-up comics or directing full-length documentaries and contemporary music videos, each project is executed with commitment and expertise.

Today, Mikell and iRise studios are synonymous with impeccable quality that has attracted key players in the entertainment industry. While the company is highly regarded for its timely business philosophy, its chief has not strayed from the traditional values that make the individual needs of each client the number one priority. From the first frame of video to the final cut, iRise creates a complete, personalized body of work by incorporating techniques that stand out from typical forms of editing. Inspired by the technique of iconic director Spike Lee, the company uses extensive site surveys, artist research and development and bold, dramatic cuts mapped out with precision.

iRise looks forward to assisting you with your next project. Please visit www.irisefilmz.net for details on how to reach us. We thank you for your interest in iRise Filmz. Now, let’s create something remarkable!

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

P.E.N.S. is an opportunity for Houston and its poets to shine; for the world to discover what I've always known-the cultural revolution in our city is well underway and we are winning on all levels!