There are few prisons more notorious or infamous than Folsom. It’s rarely viewed as a place of healing or compassion, but the upcoming documentary “The Work” will make you second guess any preconceived notions you might have about the place.
Directed by Jairus McLeary and Gethin Aldous, the eye-opening film gives audiences an intimate and intense look at a program that sees members of the public brought into Folsom for a therapy retreat. Here’s the official synopsis:
Set inside a single room in Folsom Prison, “The Work” follows three men from outside as they participate in a four-day group therapy retreat with level-four convicts. Over the four days, each man in the room takes his turn at delving deep into his past. The raw and revealing process that the convicts undertake exceeds the expectations of the free men, ripping them out of their comfort zones and forcing them to see themselves and the prisoners in unexpected ways. “The Work” offers a powerful and rare look past the cinder block walls, steel doors and the dehumanizing tropes in our culture to reveal a movement of change and redemption that transcends what we think of as rehabilitation.
The Documentary Grand Jury Prize Winner at SXSW this spring, “The Work” opens on October 25th in Los Angeles and October 27th in New York with more cities to follow.