The Alabama Solution: A Deep Dive into Prison Life
Filmmakers Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman visited the Easterling Correctional Facility in 2019, where the atmosphere initially seemed upbeat. Volunteers were hosting barbecues and singing gospel music for the incarcerated men.
However, as the day progressed, some men approached the directors quietly, hinting that something sinister was happening behind the scenes. Soon after, guards intervened, insisting the crew cease filming. They were unhappy with the filmmakers speaking directly to prisoners without the presence of police.
Though this was the filmmakers’ closest interaction with an Alabama prison, it did not deter the film from unfolding—if anything, it spurred further exploration.
The Alabama Solution, which debuts today at the Capri Theater and in over 50 locations nationwide, chronicles Jarecki and Kaufman’s six-year journey into the secretive world of Alabama prisons. As they couldn’t enter these facilities themselves, they relied heavily on inmates sharing videos from contraband cell phones and relaying phone calls to depict life inside.
The narrative primarily focuses on the founders of the Free Alabama movement, Robert Earle Council (also known as Kinetic Justice) and Melvin Ray. They began sharing videos on social media while advocating for change within the prison system and participated in the 2023 work stoppage. The film also highlights the mysterious death of Steven Davis and his mother Sandy Ray’s quest for answers.
The intertwining stories are often both poignant and disturbing, showcasing video evidence from inmates about harsh living conditions and mistreatment by guards.
There are concerns from the filmmakers about possible fallout, especially since these men broke prison rules by using illegal cell phones during the project.
Kaufman expressed, “We are genuinely worried about the safety of the men featured in our film. They’ve already faced backlash for their actions in the past, and the threat remains. Ultimately, the Alabama Department of Corrections has a legal and moral obligation to ensure their safety.”
The documentary captures the turmoil following Stephen Davis’ death at the hands of correctional officers. It illustrates the response of incarcerated men and reveals contradictions between the official narrative and inmates’ eyewitness accounts, which claimed Davis was holding a knife and refused to comply.
“As we started to dig deeper, we found this wasn’t a one-off event; the official account seemed to stray far from reality,” Kaufman noted. “Listening to the men, we began uncovering the broader issues of brutality, corruption, and intimidation related to these questionable deaths. Throughout filming, we were able to document their extraordinary responses as the situation developed.”
“We investigate homicides almost in real time, identifying scenarios where we suspect a cover-up might be happening,” Jarecki added. “As our participants fight for their survival, we follow their efforts to organize and uncover the remarkable heroism among men who are often viewed in a different light.”
Along with its limited theatrical release, the film will also air on HBO at 7:00 PM CT and be available on the streaming platform Max. It had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and received acclaim, boasting a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 90 on Metacritic.
