Songs of Redemption from a Penitentiary in Jamaica

Songs of Redemption is a documentary shot in Tower Street Penitentiary in Kingston, Jamaica. It’s a musical account about the small and big moments of over 1600 convicts, about their sufferings and their joys. It’s the manifesto of a country compelled to face the hardest choices but can’t to avoid thae worst mistakes. A country, however, eligible for redemption through music and its inhabitants’ gift.

Nice Time Produtions Limited‘s Fernando Guereta produced the documentary, which ties together raw stories with reggae’s powerful rhythm. This project would have never been possible without the touching cooperation between inmates and officers.

Songs of Redemption is a stream of consciousness flowing from the heart of people guilty of killings, robberies, violence. While they face guilt and remorse, music has the power to take their souls beyond their jails.

The movie won several awards in America, Africa and Europe. It conveys the transformation of an extremely violent environment into a community where artistic and cultural interactions lead the members towards a new vision of the world. The transformation’s critical points are the growth of self-esteem and individual conscience which allow the person to finally express remorse and guilt through the music. They now advise the younger generation against any destructive behaviour.

Nice Time Productions is a Jamaican-Spanish production company committed to professionally documenting and representing in film and music significant cultural and sports achievements of Jamaicans. Songs of Redemption was dedictated to the extraordinary work of Italian activist Carla Gullotta. With her NGO Stand Up For Jamaica she runs several projects to rehabilitate the inmates, beside promoting solidarity among the most exposed Jamaican fringes.

Won’t you help to sing

These songs of freedom?

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A degree in journalism and a professional limbo ranging from press offices to newspapers, magazines and finally the web. I lived in Verona, Zurich, London, Cape Town, Mumbai and Casablanca. I hate flying and I love jodel music. And when I grow up I wanna be a cosmonaut.

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