On Sunday night, “The Alabama Solution,” a documentary that examines horrifying conditions inside Alabama’s prison system, will be up for an Academy Award.
Filmed in large part on contraband cellphones, the documentary also charts the aftermath of the 2019 death of Steven Davis, an incarcerated man who was beaten to death by prison guards in William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, west of Birmingham.
Throughout, the film weaves together the stories of incarcerated journalists and activists who have long been witness to, and victims of, abuse by prison guards.
More PJP Reporting from Alabama’s Prison System:
“At This Alabama Prison, a Grandfather and Grandson Do Time Together” and “A Flawed Alabama Prison Medical Policy Leaves Families Fearing the Worst,” by Richard “Corey” Fox
“In One Alabama Prison, the Dead Are Honored Through an ‘Outmate’ Memorial Service,” by Destry McKinney
“What It’s Like to Live in One of the Country’s Deadliest Prison Systems,” by Charla Johnson
“Plea From Inside an Alabama Prison,” by Timothy Lee Batson
The cellphone footage provides a rare, unfiltered glimpse into conditions inside Alabama prisons.
The documentary led to retaliation, according to a lawyer whose team is in contact with the men. In January, the three main men featured in the film were taken from their respective prisons and transferred to another prison where they were placed in extreme solitary confinement, according to reporting from Truthout. On March 3, “Alabama Solution” co-producer Beth Shelburne told a PJP editor in an email that two of the men were still in solitary there, while one man, Melvin Ray, was recently moved to the Donaldson prison.
In advance of the film’s run for best documentary Sunday night, three Prison Journalism Project writers, who were not involved in the documentary, shared their and others’ thoughts on the impact of “The Alabama Solution” and what its Oscar nomination means for people in the state prison system.
Read more from Melvin Ray, an organizer prominently featured in “The Alabama Solution.”
Destry McKinney
Winning an Oscar should accelerate the momentum of change needed in Alabama. With documentor Melvin Ray now here at Donaldson, we will all be watching how the movie fares in the Oscars. Here, the reactions have ranged from excitement that incarcerated voices are being heard on the world stage to concerns that once the excitement ends, it will be back to business as usual in Alabama. Punishing victims for voicing their suffering, like these men [went through], is wrong.
Both state employees and inmates are human beings responsible for treating each other as such. Exposing dehumanization in prison lets taxpayers know exactly what they are financing. This documentary draws a line separating those backing incarcerated victim-silencing from those actively dismantling the practice.
Richard “Corey” Fox
The documentary makes revelations long past due, said Mathematics and Baby Junior, two men at Donaldson prison. They also believed it underscores the importance of video. Without phones, no one would have ever seen the severity of the circumstances in Alabama’s prisons. It did cause discomfort for many people’s families, seeing the conditions we live in, but the overall support for the movie is overwhelming. No one is surprised by the reaction of the people outside.
People in this prison stay in touch with several advocacy groups, and I speak to co-producer Beth Shelburne every chance I get. We’re proud of the movie and the impact it has created in Alabama and around the country. Everyone is excited about the nomination and hopeful it has a shot to win. Melvin is here at Donaldson, which gives the atmosphere a little boost of enthusiasm.
We are all planning to watch the Oscars. In our minds, it has already won; we just want to see it get the global recognition it deserves.
Hasani Jennings
At Limestone Correctional Facility, in the most northern part of the state, people wanting to watch “The Alabama Solution” face the same danger as the guys who helped make it. In a world teeming with information, Limestone is an island of ignorance. Information not approved by the Alabama Department of Corrections or operated by their profiteering private equity partners are a scarce commodity.
I was able to speak with a few guys who actually had an opportunity to watch the film. One said he “loved it.” Another said “it was well done.” All expressed a gladness that the world can see the truth of how we live. Everyone is aware that the Oscar nomination is a big deal, though they are unaware of the conversations the film is fueling. One guy told me, “I just hope that when the spotlights go off something has changed for the better.” Personally, I hope the world questions whether phones in prison are a problem or part of the solution.
