In ‘Sing Sing,’ Black And Brown Men At Play Are The Key To Liberation

What does it take to fight for your freedom, even when it looks like it’ll never come?

That’s the question “Sing Sing” answers with a key element: levity.

Many projects based on both the real and fictionalized lives of those in prison, especially Black and brown men, focus on darkness, with room for maybe a slither of light. That would leave one to assume that these stories can only be told when weighed down with sobering hardships. And while you can’t dismiss that, solely depicting those legitimate struggles results in a flat, inhumane representation. This is doubly damning for individuals whom society has already metaphorically imprisoned before they even have a criminal record.

“Sing Sing” isn’t like that. The A24 film implores you to watch these men bring light through play, humor and art. It commands that viewers look them in the eyes as these formerly incarcerated men introduce themselves. It’s a reminder that the men of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in upstate New York are human and deserve to be seen and treated as such.

The film, which was named Festival Favorite at this year’s SXSW, highlights the formerly incarcerated men who used theater and performing arts to heal and create a new reality for themselves while at Sing Sing. Directed by Greg Kwedar, “Sing Sing” is a tender depiction of a population that often goes forgotten and dehumanized.

In the film, Colman Domingo portrays John “Divine G” Whitfield, a man who was wrongfully convicted of a crime and goes on to help lead RTA while fighting for his freedom. Though Domingo gives a stellar, Oscar-worthy performance, the men formerly of Sing Sing’s RTA often steal the spotlight. That includes Jon-Adrian