Synopsis
Direct shooting, camera on stage, of the play The Brig performed by New York’s Living Theatre in 1964. The play is a harsh and realistic depiction of the lives of prisoners in a US Marine Corps military prison in Japan in 1957. Subjected to all kinds of abuse and “hazing” all day long, forced to carry out arduous jobs and thankless tasks, they dance to the infernal tune of their jailors.
A word from Tënk
Jonas Mekas always sought to capture each person’s actions with spontaneity, scrutinising human behaviours. Here, in the cramped space of the Living Theatre’s stage, he applies or even brings face to face the methods of recording “cinéma vérité” with those of theatre. His intention is not to transcribe the play in its entirety, but only what the eyes of the filmmaker are capable of grasping. Experiencing it in this way turns it into reality. With this ideal material for the film director to challenge the perspective of direct cinema, he thus examined what actually constitutes “truth” in cinema.
Line Peyron
Producer
Head of Streaming Service at Tënk, France
