One of the forgotten movies at the Oscars is “Sing Sing.” It’s a true story of inmates in a theater program at Sing Sing Prison. Coleman Domingo stars as Divine G, a former ballet dancer who is wrongfully convicted to Sing Sing prison and there, as an inmate, he leads the theater group in prison.The movie follows these men that are a part of theater program in prison.They create their own comedy, “Breaking Mummy’s Code,” which incorporates comedy, Shakespeare, historical dramas and Freddy Krueger. The rest of the movie follows what happens leading to opening night.
Many of the characters in the movie play themselves in the film, like the lead Clarence Macli who plays “Divine Eye.” He went through the Rehabilitation through the Arts program that the film is based on.
The movie is based on a true story of inmates in the real life program RTA. The movies shows RTA as a way for these men to be human again, as the prison takes away their humanity. The RTA is proof of what humanity can do for rehabilitation, According to the Department of Justice, 43% of formerly incarcerated people are rearrested within a year of release. For those in RTA, that number is 3%, according to RTA’s website.
The film communicates this message of humanity. Filmmakers Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley paid everyone on the set—from the PAs to Domingo at the top of the call sheet the same wage, and everyone involved in the production received equity.
Sing Sing shows what art and humanity have on people. As most of the people in the film were in the programs at Sing Sing. Sing Sing shows how corrupt the prison system is, and how broken what rehabilitation means. But it shows that with humanization and art you can rehabilitate people.
It does a disservice to this film that it was not talked about like a “Complete Unknown” or “Anora.” It has just as much heart, great writing, and beautiful performances. It is a gem of a film that will change your view on people and forgiveness.
