What It’s About:
Serving a long sentence at Sing Sing Prison in New York, John Whitfield, aka “Divine G” (Domingo) copes with incarceration by committing himself to the prison’s innovative theater program. He recruits fellow convict Clarence (Maclin) to join the latest production. Sullen and defensive at first, Clarence soon embraces the process. Both men are up for parole hearings as well. Will their show be a hit, and will one or both of them finally go home?
Why We Love It:
Kwedar’s miraculous film combines professional actors (Domingo, Raci) with non-pros, mostly former prisoners and members of R.T.A (Rehabilitation Through the Arts), an actual program at Sing Sing. The whole cast brings authenticity and flavor to this touching, inspiring tale of inmates deriving hope and redemption from collaborating creatively. The Oscar-nominated Domingo’s affecting performance caps a poignant, highly memorable film. Sentence yourself to “Sing Sing”.
What It’s About:
Turin native Pietro (Marinelli) looks back on his many visits to the Italian Alps, where as a boy he first traveled with his family in 1984. There he met Bruno, a full-time resident and the only child left in the village. The connection between the two boys only deepens with time. Pietro’s father Giovanni (Timi), who loves the outdoors, bonds with Bruno on vigorous hikes, as Pietro struggles to keep up. As the years pass, the restless Pietro is periodically drawn back to those mountains and his enigmatic, now adult friend Bruno (Borghi), who still ekes out a living on the land.
Why We Love It:
This deep, gorgeous, epic film touches all the senses. Wisely, the directors chose to shoot it in a square form ratio, so the breathtaking scenery never overwhelms the human drama. The actors playing Pietro and Bruno over three different time periods (as children, teenagers and adults) are all outstanding, with Marinelli particularly memorable as the film’s narrator and central protagonist. His Pietro is a perpetual wanderer, whereas Borghi’s Bruno is incapable of leaving the mountains, whose stunning beauty is accompanied by isolation and poverty. A movie to think about and above all, to really and truly watch, these “Mountains” are well worth ascending.
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