Jail Caesar

Very touching and thought provoking film. It tugs at the heart, hints beyond the edge of awareness, and brings to mind, as a gentle yet powerful reminder, the essence of the human condition that has not yet evolved beyond these shown prison conditions. The message of the film makes the state of our inner struggle perfectly clear. While we can hide behind complex facades of philosophies and technologies in our society, this is not possible in these do or die prison conditions, where the soul is stripped bare. Jacobi and Kani deliver powerful performances. Schoolman succeeded in conveying an understanding of the personal struggle of Caesar, the demons he faced and partially overcame, the forces that drive him, greed, love, fear, lust for power and recognition, and that they do not look so different from what everyone else is going through in life.

This film is completely amazing! Derek Jacobi, Alice Krige, and John Kani do a spectacular job, and the whole cast is amazing. Extremely creative concept, quite revolutionary. I'm looking forward to the United States release! For anyone who hasn't seen it, it was set in Pollsmoor Prison (Cape Town, South Africa), Cardiff Prison (Wales, UnitedKingdom) and The Brotherhood Lodge, Drumheller Penitentiary (Alberta, Canada) this remarkable historical story unfolds in a modern reality with relentless energy. It combines a remarkable cast that includes Sir Derek Jacobi, John Kani, Alice Krige, Warren Adler, Grant Swanby, Gunter Singer, Richard Clifford, prison officers and 500 prisoners.

'String Caesar' is a unique and powerful piece of work. The men have been empowered by this revolutionary Director,(Schoolman)to improve their lot in life,spiritually and physically. They have responded and have repaid the faith invested with maximum effort. An opportunity for most of the prison cast to realise that living life does not have to involve the sacrifice of liberty. Creativity has been found in a place that society often regards as the the last place to look. Drama and theatre are underused resources in our places of incarceration, String Caesar and Schoolman are champions of the cause. There is not one individual involved that cannot be seen to benefit from this production. There have been efforts made by others using the medium of prison and prisoners. To date, there is nothing to touch this.

Jail Caesar is a challenging, authentic and brave film, made all the more so by the fact that ninety percent of the actors are inmates from three prisons in South Africa, the UK and Canada, playing alongside professional actors including Derek Jacobi and Alice Krige who also produced the film.

The film brings the story of Caesar to life through the eyes of both the men and the many women behind these men, and then firmly places the story in a contemporary setting where gangs rule and chaos is rife. Don't expect an easy ride. Jail Caesar is intense, however, it is also a moving interpretation of the last days of Emperor Caesar.

This is a film that takes collaboration to new heights as prisoners, prison governors, and actors drawn from the local communities, as well as A-list actors work together to create a film that is so much more than the sum of its parts. Further, it is a astounding example of how working with prisoners can highlight the immense talent to be found amongst non-professionals.

Written and directed by Paul Schoolman, the film is multi-layered, using split-screen effects, sound and performance to create an immersive and sensitive work. It's no mean feat to catapult the days of the Roman Empire and life in the first century BC into the 21st century, but Jail Caesar succeeds in taking inspiration from key events and creating parallels with modern-day gang culture.

As 1st Baron Acton famously remarked in the 19th century, 'Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'

Jail Caesar is a powerful, emotional experience.

From Intro to the finishing line, a truly gripping work of art. I particularly liked the atmospheric opening poem. I am not ashamed to mention, it brought tears to my eyes. The combination of established actors and actual inmates in high security custody working together is a message in itself. The Inmates communicated freely with one another, which must have been so revolutionary and an amazing experience for everyone. The film communicates hope for people forgotten by society. Its gives a rare view of a world no one outside gets to see. Its so good to see all the usual barriers removed,and to such an extend. Well done! I hope we see more of this type of work in the future.