Inspired by the true story of a man sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for a crime he insists he has not committed, The Visit is a powerful drama about family relations and personal redemption. As the prisoner (Harper) comes to terms with his situation, friends and members of his family—including Billy Dee Williams and Marla Gibbs as his parents and Rae Dawn Chong as his childhood sweetheart—comb through the past for answers to their common dilemma. The film won the Freedom of Expression citation from the National Board of Review and an emerging artist award for its star at the Chicago International Film Festival.