TOPEKA, KS — Netflix has officially announced the July 6, 2025 release of its newest original documentary, “I’m Not Broken”—a deeply moving and transformative film that follows the real-life stories of five women incarcerated at the Topeka Correctional Facility.
From the moment the trailer dropped online, the internet has been buzzing with emotion, praise, and curiosity. “I’m Not Broken” offers an unprecedented look behind the prison walls and into the hearts of women who have turned pain into poetry, and punishment into purpose.
Over the course of the documentary, viewers will hear raw, unscripted letters written by the women to Grammy-winning musician and activist Melissa Etheridge, whose own journey through loss and healing inspired the women to share their truths.
Etheridge, who hails from Leavenworth, Kansas, was so moved by the letters that she traveled to the facility to meet the women personally—a moment captured on film in one of the most emotional scenes in the documentary. Together, they performed a stripped-down acoustic version of her hit song “I Run for Life,” with lyrics rewritten to reflect the women’s resilience and redemption.
“These women are poets, warriors, survivors,” said Etheridge in a statement. “They’ve faced the darkest corners of life and found a way to speak light back into the world.”
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Lisa Robins, “I’m Not Broken” was filmed over an 18-month period with exclusive access to the Topeka Correctional Facility. The result is a raw, cinematic experience that blends intimate interviews, spoken-word performance, and behind-the-scenes footage into a 90-minute emotional journey.
What to Expect
The film follows each of the five women as they recount the traumas and choices that led them to prison—and the self-discovery they’ve found while behind bars. Some battled addiction, some escaped domestic violence, and others made mistakes that changed their lives forever.
Yet each story shares a common thread: the refusal to let their past define their future.
One of the women, Tiffany, shares in the film:
“I used to think my story ended with a cell door. Now I know it begins there.”
Release Date & Viewing Details
“I’m Not Broken” premieres worldwide on Netflix on July 6, 2025. The documentary will be available in over 20 languages and is expected to debut in Netflix’s Top 10 within days of release.
Will you be watching on July 6? Share this post, tag someone who believes in second chances, and let the world know: no one is too broken to heal.
