简介：WhilevisitingafriendataprisonnearMadrid,filmmakerCarlosBoschbecameawareofaremarkablecompetitionthatwastakingplacebehindbars.TheFestivalofSongisanannualsingingcompetitioninwhichinmatesvieforbraggingrightsasthebestsingerinthejailhouse,butwhatmightseemlikeakaraokecompetitiontosomeisrevealedtobeatestamenttohopeandthepowerofloveinaplacewherebothareinshortsupply.Septiembres(akaSeptembers)isadocumentarywhichoffersaninsidelookattheFestivalofSongcontestaswellasprofilinganumberoftheentrants,includingArturo,agypsywhosingsforthewifeandchildhe'sleftbehind,Rudolf,aLithuanianexpatriatewhodedicateshisperformancetoaUkrainiangirlheonceloved,andAdelberto,whopayshomagetohisgrandmother.ThewinnersoftheMadridcompetitionthengoontoanationwideeventinwhichtheircompetitionincludesatleastoneEuropeanrockstarwhohasrunafoulofthelaw.Septiembreswasscreenedincompetitionatthe2007MiamiInternationalFilmFestival. ThisdocumentaryisaratherbeautifullycraftedlookatlifeinMadrid'sprisonsystem.ThetitlereferstoanannualsingingcontestheldamongstMadridprisons,calledthe‘FestivalofSong'.EachSeptemberchoseninmatesaresenttoSotodelRealjailforthegrandfinal.Followingdifferententrantsofthecompetitionoverayearperiod,wearegivenaninsightintotheirlivesinjail,andthelivesofthosewhomustwaitontheoutside.Theinmateswhotakepartinthefilmhavedifferingbackgrounds,servingvaryingtimes.Including‘Beto'fromArgentina,EstefaniafromBarcelona,RudolffromLithuania,NormafromMexico.Someofthetheirtalesarelovestories,othertragedies.Eachnarrativeasfascinatingasthenext. Asthedocumentaryprogressesyougettoknowtheprisonersbetterwithouttheintrusionofthecamera.DirectorCarlosBoschhassucceedingettingclosetohissubjectswhilstexercisinggentlerestraint.Thefilmingoftheinmates,andtheirfamilyandfriendsishandledwithsensitivity,chosingsubtlyoverheavy-handedtechniques.Therearefewmomentswhenthepersonbehindthecameraspeaks,orwhentheyaredirectlyaddressedbyoneoftheinmates.Gooddirectingorgoodediting,thiskeepsyouconnectedwiththeirindividualstories.Theirpersonalaccountsareengaging–somuchsothatthesingingcontestissidelined,asIbelievethedirectorwasasenthralledbythesepeopleasIwas. Notonlyarethestoriesgripping,butthewholeprisonenvironmentisintriguing.Myknowledgeofprisonsisthankfullyprettylimited,andisalmostexclusivelyinformedfromfilmsandTV.Prisonsareplaceswherescrewsaretheguardsandinmates(sometimes)getshanked.Darkanddisturbinghellholesfilledwithmurderersandrapists,jailisusuallyportrayedasadogeatdogworldrunasmuchbythetopinmatesastheguards.IncomparisontoitscelluloidcousinstherealprisonsusedinSeptemberscansometimesseemmisleadinglylikestrictboardingschools.Thisisperhapsbecausethedocumentaryisvoidofanyprisonpersonnel.Thisfilmisexclusivelyfocusedontheinmateslives.Theassumptionhastobethattheprisonsfeaturedareallminimumsecurity,giventhenatureoftheaccessthecameracrewaregivenandtherelativeeasetheinmatesmovearoundthebuildings.HoweveritwouldhavebeengoodforusunfamiliarwithMadrid'sprisonsystemtohavesomeofthatnormallyredundantexpositiontogroundus. CarlosBoschhasapproachedthisdocumentarywithapurpose.Outsideofthehumaninterestaspectthereisaveryseriousquestionthatthefilmisposingaboutthenatureofimprisonment.Beyondthephysicalpenance,whatarethementalandemotionalcoststoboththeinmatesandtheirfamilies.Thereissomethingsoincrediblysadaboutwatchingsomeofthesemenandwomenchoosetolieabouttheirwhereaboutstotheirfamilies.Formethiswasanunexpectedtolltopayfortheircrimes.Thequestionofcrimeandpunishmentinthisfilmisnotwithoutambiguity.Wearefacedwithtwowomenwhoseliveshavebeenruinedbydrugs.Oneimprisonedforbuyingheraddictedsondrugs,andanotherfacing10longyearsforimportingdrugsintoSpain.Bothcanbeseenasvictimsandcriminalsinthesamesystem. Thisdocumentaryisadivinemixtureofthebitterandthesweet.Itssuccessisreflectedinitsselectioninmanyinternationalfilmandhumanrightsfestivals,sinceitsrelease.DirectorCarlosBosch,hasgivenpeopleusuallymarginalisedbysocietyanopportunitytobeheard,andaninternationalaudienceachancetofindoutmoreaboutpeopleusuallyhiddenfromtheirview.…