It started in San Quentin. Fifteen seasons and 85 million downloads later, Ear Hustle became a global podcast phenomenon. This feature documentary tells the story of its unlikely duo — co-creators Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods — who risked everything to change the narrative from the inside out.
EAR HUSTLE began as a podcast recorded inside San Quentin prison, but it quickly became a transformative force. Created by Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the show amplifies voices from behind bars with empathy, humor, and candor. This documentary follows their journey from inside San Quentin to prisons across the country, revealing the creative challenges, personal transformations, and emotional stakes behind their success. Earlonne, once sentenced to 31 years to life, now reflects on freedom, fatherhood, and his enduring connection to prison life, while Nigel balances caregiving and storytelling, turning fragments of memory into art. As they prepare for a national live tour and expand into new prisons—including a women's facility in California—their bond and mission are tested by rapid growth and deep personal shifts. Set against the backdrop of systemic barriers, "Ear Hustle" is more than a podcast—it’s a movement that redefines who gets to tell the story and how storytelling can create change.
Director/Writer/Producer Erika Cohn is a two-time Emmy, Peabody, and DGA award-winning filmmaker and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Recognized by Variety as one of 2017’s top documentary filmmakers to watch, she was also featured in DOC NYC’s 2019 “40 Under 40.” Recently, Erika directed/produced BELLY OF THE BEAST, an Emmy-winning, Peabody-nominated exposé on human rights abuses in women’s prisons, featuring Mary J. Blige’s Oscar-shortlisted song. Her work includes Peabody award-winning THE JUDGE (TIFF premiere), and Emmy award-winning IN FOOTBALL WE TRUST (Sundance premiere) and short films, WHAT YOU’LL REMEMBER and A SHOT AT HISTORY.
Director/Producer - Erika Cohn
Producer - Rajal Pitroda
Producer - Jaz Berger
Executive Producer - Morgan Freeman
