In addition to releasing some of the greatest movies of the past decade and a change, A24 is making history on January 17, 2025, by simultaneously releasing its “unforgettable” drama, Sing Sing, in theaters and prisons. Say what? You heard me. Director Greg Kwedar’s impactful film about a prison theater group returns to 500 theaters later this week and will be available to nearly a million incarcerated individuals across the United States.
Sing Sing follows Divine G, a man imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit. While there, he finds purpose by acting in a theater group alongside other incarcerated men for a story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.
According to The Hollywood Reporter‘s exclusive report, the film’s historical re-release happens courtesy of A24, Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), the real-life nonprofit organization on which the film is based, and Edovo. This nonprofit creates curricula for incarcerated people to access via tablets in more than 1100 correctional facilities nationwide. Sing Sing will screen in correctional facilities in California, New York, Texas, and 43 other states.
“Storytelling has an incredible way of sparking hope and building connections, even in the toughest circumstances,” says Edovo founder and CEO Brian Hill. “With Sing Sing, we’re giving incarcerated individuals an opportunity to see themselves in a story of resilience and transformation, and to feel inspired to imagine new possibilities for their own lives.”
Interestingly, in addition to Hollywood actors Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead, The Running Man) and Paul Raci (Sound of Metal, The Secret Art of Human Flight), Sing Sing features formerly incarcerated performers, including Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin and Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez.
Move over, Gilda, there’s a new movie coming to the United States prison system! Hailed as an emotional and inspiring powerhouse, Sing Sing is a rare treat for the silver screen. The film promotes positive change, belief in a good life after serving a sentence, and making peace with the sins of the past. If you can watch Sing Sing, I highly recommend it.
What do you think about Sing Sing coming to prisons in the United States? Let us know in the comments section below.
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