Awards season is well-underway and one contender, Sing Sing, recently got a theatrical re-release. Sing Sing, directed by Greg Kwedar, follows an incarcerated theater group at the eponymous prison as they work to mount their first original comedic production. The film earned three Oscar nominations, including a Best Actor nod for Colman Domingo.
Nitehawk Cinema (136 Metropolitan Ave.) will host a special screening of the film on Tuesday, February 18, alongside the studio A24, Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, and non-profit Rehabilitation Through the Arts. A portion of ticket sales will go towards RTA, with the option for theater-goers to make an additional donation when they purchase tickets.
“The arts have tremendous power to heal people—something that our current prison system does not do. Instead, incarceration primarily serves to perpetuate cycles of violence and trauma. The RTA program is a rare exception, an opportunity for personal growth and development in an oppressive and punishing place,” said Gallagher. “This film—starring many actors who were incarcerated at Sing Sing and actually went through the program featured in the film—is an incredible tribute to what’s possible when we invest the time and resources into rehabilitation.”
Gallagher, alongside other lawmakers, recently organized a screening of the film at the New York State Legislature, which featured a Q&A with several of the film’s actors.
No matter what awards it might rack up, Sing Sing made history as the first film released in theaters and in prisons simultaneously. Nearly a million incarcerated people can view the film through tablets.
Get your tickets here.