The Marshall Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering criminal justice, today announced the five finalists for the inaugural Sing Sing Film Festival Awards.
The winners will be announced on October 24 by a jury of five men incarcerated at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York, in front of incarcerated people, New York State correctional officials and outside guests.
The Marshall Project is dedicated to providing news and information to incarcerated audiences. with print magazines News Insider and video series InsiderThe New New Film Festival is part of the Marshall Project, an initiative dedicated to bringing valuable and fresh perspectives behind prison walls.
The five documentaries on the shortlist are:
“This is really a first for New York,” said Lawrence Bartley of the Marshall Project. “Traditionally, criminal justice movies aren't judged by people who actually know the inside of the system.
“Incarcerated people have relevant expertise here,” said Bartley, author of Inside the Marshall Plana news product produced for prison audiences by a Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom. “The Marshall Project organizes this film festival because we want to recognize the value and importance of this audience.” Nearly 2 million people are incarcerated in prisons and jails across the United States.
The five finalists were selected by Marshall Project staff from nearly 40 criminal justice documentaries released over the past two years. The videos were then reviewed by officials from the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision before being presented to an incarcerated jury of five men.
Documentary Filmmaker El Sawyer Visit Xinxin in August Training juries on how to evaluate films. He spent five hours with the new staff discussing the key points of watching and reviewing the film to evaluate the clarity and power of the storytelling, the cinematography, and the film's authenticity in depicting the lived experiences of people who are incarcerated and impacted by justice. sex.
The festival on October 24 will also screen a series of short films:
- San Quentin Box Media Center by Rahsan Thomas
- sam and omar Author: Nadav Kurtz
- Insider —Excerpts from the new season of The Marshall Plan for incarcerated viewers
Since there is no internet in the prison, all material will be presented to the jury on DVD.
“Given that my film explores issues within our criminal justice system, I am grateful for this opportunity to contribute to an honest and impactful conversation,” Director Débora Souza Silva said. For our children. “I hope this initiative by the Marshall Plan Rising Stars Film Festival will inspire meaningful change in criminal justice reform and promote deeper reflection on how to document these issues.”
“From now on, every movie I watch, I will criticize it… to see the development of the characters, to see if the scenery is a character in the film itself,” said the imprisoned judge said group member Alonzo Myers.
“Sing Sing Correctional Institution is pleased to provide new educational opportunities for our incarcerated residents,” said Sing Sing Warden Marlyn Kopp. “The opportunity to learn about the art and technology of film, present and draft reviews of selected criminal justice-themed films, and select winners for the festival provides value to the voices of incarcerated people.
“It opens up communication both internally and externally,” Kopp continued. “We are delighted to partner with The Marshall Project and host this film festival.”
Please contact Rahima Nasa Kazmi at rkazmi@themarshallproject.org for more information about the New New Film Festival.
