The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Documentary by Redlands High grad gets screening at L.A. festival
`Bar Daddy' tells of attorney who helped 3,000 Black students pass bar exam
A Riverside filmmaker’s documentary on a man who helped thousands of Black students pass the State Bar of California exam got a recent boost.
“Bar Daddy,” a film by Redlands High School graduate Jay Gerren, was screened at the Pan African Film + Arts Festival in Los Angeles, which began Feb. 16. The event is among the largest African American film festivals in the U.S.
It chronicles how Los Angeles attorney Al Jenkins, who still tutors for the State Bar of California, donated his time and skills to help more than 3,000 Black law graduates pass the rigorous exam.
In a video posted on Instagram, Jenkins, 86, said he’s been doing the service since 1976 and continues because “I love doing it.”
Gerren, 47, directed and produced the film about his uncle, who tutors students from his home.
“‘Bar Daddy’ tells the story of a man that has dedicated his life to helping others live their purpose,” Gerren wrote in an email. “Numerous accomplished judges, lawyers and business owners all owe their careers to Alfred ‘Al’ Jenkins.”
Gerren’s email added: “There are lots of people using documentaries to tell stories and it is time for us to tell our own stories.”
Gerren, the owner of Gerren
Productions, graduated from Redlands High in 1994. On campus, he played basketball and pursued photography as a hobby. His father owned a video production company.
Gerren attended San Bernardino Valley College before transferring to Cal State San Bernardino, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. He also has an MFA from the Academy of Art San Francisco in film and television.
Gerren has taught digital film production for 21 years at Riverside’s Martin Luther King High School.
For information on hosting a “Bar Daddy” screening, email info@gerrenproductions.com