On the face of it -- a documentary on prison inmates -- I did not expect much. To my surprise, it turns out to be a superb, expertly edited film. There is not a boring moment during its two hours.
Every September, different prisons in Spain run a competition for the best singers in their facility. Two or three are selected from each prison. They are sent to a major prison north of Madrid for a final system-wide competition. The winner wins 290 euros.
The documentary begins one September and introduces a few of the contestants. The documentary ends one year later when a new batch of contestants prepares for the competition. The bulk of the documentary is about what happens between those two Septembers.
The documentary follows some of the competitors of the earlier September. We find out why they are in prison, who their families are on the outside, and friends outside and inside the prison system. It gives us a partial view on what life is in what appears to be low security prisons around Madrid. The filmmakers were lucky to have such an interesting group of people with such different outcomes: one is set free, another is refused parole, two marry, one is extradited, another is transferred to another prison to be close to his girlfriend. Some are Spaniards, some foreigners. Most are well spoken. We can't avoid sympathising with their humanity and their predicament: in some cases long sentences in the face of petty infractions.
The film ends with one of the contestants, a Mexican woman that won the previous two contests, singing "Fly me to the Moon". An ending that may convert you to the libertarian position on the matter of so-called illegal drugs.
Every September, different prisons in Spain run a competition for the best singers in their facility. Two or three are selected from each prison. They are sent to a major prison north of Madrid for a final system-wide competition. The winner wins 290 euros.
The documentary begins one September and introduces a few of the contestants. The documentary ends one year later when a new batch of contestants prepares for the competition. The bulk of the documentary is about what happens between those two Septembers.
The documentary follows some of the competitors of the earlier September. We find out why they are in prison, who their families are on the outside, and friends outside and inside the prison system. It gives us a partial view on what life is in what appears to be low security prisons around Madrid. The filmmakers were lucky to have such an interesting group of people with such different outcomes: one is set free, another is refused parole, two marry, one is extradited, another is transferred to another prison to be close to his girlfriend. Some are Spaniards, some foreigners. Most are well spoken. We can't avoid sympathising with their humanity and their predicament: in some cases long sentences in the face of petty infractions.
The film ends with one of the contestants, a Mexican woman that won the previous two contests, singing "Fly me to the Moon". An ending that may convert you to the libertarian position on the matter of so-called illegal drugs.
