“Based on the real-life arts rehabilitation program founded at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, [Greg] Kwedar’s film [Sing Sing] is about a theater troupe at the facility in New York who find escape from the harshness of their realities of incarceration through Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). The men work on a play and perform it for the other people in prison and for those on the outside who come in to view it.
“Every six months, the men gather to help decide their next play, looking to Divine G (Colman Domingo) to lead the efforts. When Divine G recruits a new member called Divine Eye, played by the real Clarence ‘Divine Eye’ Maclin, he gets more than he bargained for. The group dynamics shift when Divine Eye suggests they do a comedy this time. Ancient Egypt, Freddy Krueger, and Hamlet find themselves in the same play.
Watch the trailer:
Sing Sing highlights the prison system and its efforts to break down a person
“Through this theater troupe, we see the discomfort and vulnerability of these men. We also see the formation of trust and integrity as they work as a team. The film highlights the bond that develops between the men.
“You would think all of these men who played themselves in Sing Sing were professionally trained actors. They are able to go toe-to-toe with the uber-talented Colman Domingo and give audiences a memorable performance. The man that surprised us was Maclin (Divine Eye). The chemistry between him and Domingo was strong. You could tell this was a bromance for life. Other cast members included Paul Raci as Brent, Sean San Jose, Sean ‘Dino’ Johnson, Jon-Adrian Velazquez, David J. Giraud, and John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield. There is a genuine authenticity in the performances on screen. It blurs the line between reality and narrative. It was a beautiful fellowship to see. …
“Sing Sing highlights the prison system and its efforts to break down a person to ‘make them into a subservient machine.’ The cast and crew show us how theater can put people back together and allow them to discover who they are. On screen, through these performances, we can see the rediscovery of empathy and adjusting outlooks on life. It’s beautiful.”
Read the full review at BlackGirlNerds.com.
NOTE: The film makes its U.S. premiere at SXSW today, and A24 will release the movie in theaters in July.
In our 10th anniversary year, JustLeadershipUSA’s work of educating, elevating, and empowering justice-impacted leaders continues and is growing even stronger!
We are preparing for our very special 10th anniversary gala in New York City on October 21st, and we would love for you to be there with us.
This is going to be a very special time to look back on the past decade of JLUSA’s important work, the 1,600+ leaders we have helped get to the next level in their work, and even more importantly, we will look ahead to the next 10 years and beyond!
We can’t do this without you. We need your support to help us continue to do this work now and into the future. By purchasing a $50 streaming ticket, you are saying to the amazing leaders in our network who represent the 70+ million Americans who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, “I see you, and I support you!”
Please plan now to join us in person or give a one-time $100 gift or set up a recurring $10 monthly donation to celebrate JLUSA’s 10th anniversary year, and together we will build a fair and just U.S. Thank you!
Mail that includes checks only:
JUSTLEADERSHIPUSA, INC
P.O. Box 23681
New York, NY 10087-3681
All other mail:
P.O. Box 1730, New York, NY 10037
347.454.2195
© 2024 JustLeadershipUSA. All Rights Reserved.
JustLeadershipUSA is a non-partisan organization. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the individual author or speaker, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the organization.