An HBO documentary relying primarily on contraband cell phones to expose conditions within Alabama prisons earned a nomination Thursday for Best Documentary Feature at the 98th Academy Awards.
“The Alabama Solution” follows multiple stories within the prisons including the death of Steven Davis at the hands of correctional officer Roderick Gadson, and the founders of the Free Alabama Movement within the prison organizing a work strike.
“The announcement of an Academy Award nomination for The Alabama Solution for Best Documentary Feature reflects growing public recognition of the crisis inside prisons in Alabama and beyond,” said Kendrid Motes, communications lead for “No More Alabama,” a campaign spurred by the documentary to demand safety and accountability within Alabama’s prisons. “That attention helps our cause; when national awareness increases, so do calls for reform and demands for accountability. For people living inside these facilities, including Melvin Ray, Robert Earl Council, and Raoul Poole, featured in the film, public scrutiny can provide a measure of attention and reduce the likelihood that abuse or retaliation continues unchecked.”
The new level of public attention comes as the three men organize another work strike and face new consequences within the prison system.
“It has been (now 10) days since Melvin, Robert Earl, and Raoul were abruptly transferred to solitary confinement at Kilby prison following an announcement of a planned non-violent work strike,” Motes said. “They have no access to mail and have only been allowed one phone call with loved ones. The conditions documented in the film remain unchanged, and the risks are ongoing.”
The Alabama Solution is one of just five feature-length documentaries to receive the honor on Thursday.
