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Colman Domingo<\/strong> had three weeks. He was about to go into production on the Color Purple<\/em> musical film, with pickup shoots for the biopic Rustin<\/em> scheduled for shortly thereafter. But in the small break between those projects, the actor was theoretically available. He said as much to writer-director Greg Kwedar<\/strong> over Zoom, in their first conversation about Sing Sing<\/em>.<\/p>\n There was no script yet. No financing. Still, those three weeks looked good to Kwedar. \u201cI was like, \u2018I\u2019ll take them,\u2019\u201d the director says with a laugh. \u201c\u2018I guarantee you we can be ready to shoot.\u2019\u201d Domingo recalls being taken aback\u2014and impressed: \u201cIt was crazy, but I liked that spirit. I like people who are on the edge that way.\u201d That leap of faith has resulted in one of the year\u2019s best, most innovative and surprising films.<\/p>\n In 2016, Kwedar and his longtime co-writer Clint Bentley<\/strong> were introduced to Sing Sing Correctional Facility\u2019s Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, which immerses incarcerated people into the worlds of theater, dance, and more. The pair shadowed RTA\u2019s leadership, taught workshops, and got to know some of the program\u2019s alumni. They saw how it quite literally saved lives. Sing Sing<\/em> is the product not just of that extensive research period, but also the direct testimony of people who were formerly incarcerated and rediscovered themselves through the program. Marking Kwedar\u2019s first directorial effort since his feature debut Transpecos<\/em> (2016), it\u2019s a startling, raw piece of work.<\/p>\n Yet the timing of Sing Sing<\/em>\u2019s world premiere at last year\u2019s Toronto International Film Festival seemed potentially unfortunate. Fewer eyeballs than usual were on the event due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, which prevented most talent from attending. Sing Sing<\/em> was also an especially unknown quantity as it sought U.S. distribution. But the independent movie had secured an interim agreement from the actors\u2019 union, meaning Domingo, an executive producer who also plays the lead role, could attend the fest (despite not being able to support his other<\/em> movie there, Netflix\u2019s Rustin<\/em>, which would go on to net him his first Oscar nomination). Some supporting cast joined him\u2014no small feat, since 13 of the Sing Sing<\/em> actors are RTA alumni, and anyone convicted of a felony is not typically permitted to travel to Canada. After six months of work with top immigration attorneys, five actors were ultimately cleared to fly just two days before the screening.<\/p>\n How did it go? Well, nine or so months later, I\u2019m sitting with Domingo and Kwedar in Los Angeles\u2019s London Hotel, where Sing Sing<\/em> is screening for Academy members and press. The movie was a smash in Toronto, swiftly acquired by A24 and slated for a July 12 release. It\u2019s been playing all over the country at regional festivals since, meeting teary standing ovations from coast to coast; the awards buzz is already deafening. But perhaps more importantly, audiences are discovering and falling hard for the film. \u201cWe have a long, long road ahead,\u201d Domingo tells me. \u201cBut I love the way the seeds are being planted for this. It feels very organic and very thoughtful\u2014it\u2019s not just a big blast. It\u2019s letting it be something for the people.\u201d<\/p>\n Kwedar agrees: \u201cIt mirrors our process of how we made it.\u201d<\/p>\n