A gente (Custodians)

Brazil 2013, 89 min, English subtitles

In his first full-length documentary film, director Aly Muritiba reveals everyday life in a Brazilian prison from the perspective of the custodians. It centers on Jefferson Walkiu, the new chief inspector responsible for a team of almost thirty guards who oversee 900 inmates. It is nota hazard-free job: criminal gangs are active inside and outside the prison walls and the staff are poorly equipped. Director Muritiba himself worked as a prison guard for seven years and dealt with the microcosm of prisons in his previous short films “A Fábrica” (Oscar-nominated for best short film) and “Pátio.”