【We love A24】Sing Sing (2023) [M]

We're watching a selection of A24 films over the coming weeks!

At first glance, Sing Sing might sound like your typical prison film. But this is not a story about crime or punishment—it’s about what happens when a group of incarcerated men discover theatre, creativity, and friendship inside one of America’s most notorious prisons.

The film follows the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Some of the actors are professionals, like Colman Domingo in the lead role, but many are real program alumni—including Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, who plays himself. The result is a film that blurs the line between fiction and documentary, creating something raw and authentic.

Academy Award Nominations (2025)

• Best Actor – Colman Domingo
• Best Adapted Screenplay

Sing Sing has also picked up other accolades, including:

• Gotham Award nominations for Best Ensemble and Best Lead Performance
• Audience Award winner at the Hamptons International Film Festival
• Premiered at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to a standing ovation

The New York Times called it “quietly radical,” and many reviewers have highlighted how it challenges the usual prison movie tropes. It’s not about violence or escape—it’s about personal transformation and the power of telling your own story.

This is a film for anyone interested in second chances, in art as healing, or in how creative expression can help people rediscover their humanity.

Come for the film. Stay for the kōrero!
Join us afterward for an open discussion about the film.