The Prison Show
2025 WINNER - BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
2024
France / United States
57 mins
NYC Premiere
Documentary Film Competition
| Gabriella Kessler | |
| Constance Ortuzar, Thibault Dufour, Fabrice Coat, Philip Drouin | |
| Implied Violence |
Every Friday night, former inmates and prisoners’ loved ones get together at KPFT in downtown Houston to create “The Prison Show”, a program catered to prisoners and their families. The show keeps prisoners connected to the outside world and allows families to call in and leave messages for prisoners who are listening. In addition, the radio produces a show with live coverage whenever there is an execution in Texas, sometimes airing a prerecorded interview with the condemned prisoner as the State of Texas kills him. Since 1980, the show has shed light on the traumatic and destructive nature of the criminal justice system (even on people who are not behind bars), all the while humanizing prisoners and their loved ones.
About the Director
Gabriella Kessler is a French-American filmmaker. Her first feature documentary, BRADDOCK AMERICA, co-directed with Jean-Loïc Portron, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the ACID selection in 2013, and was selected in a dozen film festivals. Gabriella also works as an editor, and has edited documentaries for Canal Plus and Arte, most recently about Robert De Niro.
Reviews
“The Prison Show” might have you tuning into the Radio on Friday nights – Winter Film Festival, by Julia Sexton
“Prison Show” by Gabriella Kessler: our review – Telerama, by Marie-Hélène Soenen
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