Crime and redemption theatre
At Volterra Maximum Security Prison, in 1998 the director Armando Punzo established the “Compagnia della Fortezza”, a theatre troupe comprised of dangerous felons and hardcore “lifers”. With my camera I’ve begun to show how the method of acting in prison can be a useful tool to changing the way the criminal mind works.
In Volterra prison theatre is considered to be a highly motivotional theraputic method of working with violent incarcerated offenders. Prison theatre is about redemption. They learn a profession, they become actors, not only prisoners. They go on tour all around Italy performing to sold- out crowds. At the end of the show they are escorted to the local prison for their overnight.
The Inmate Aniello Arena, , one of the actors that ive been photograph for over five years, whos serving in prison a 20-year-to –life term for double murder, was nominated last year in Cannes as best actor in Garrone’s new movie, Reality.
