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.
