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EXCLUSIVE: The cast of A24‘s Sing Sing, led by Colman Domingo, is set to receive the 2024 Gotham Social Justice Tribute at the 34th edition of The Gothams, taking place live and in person at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on Monday, December 2.
The Social Justice Tribute was created in order to recognize the actors and filmmakers behind the most compelling purpose-driven films taken to the big screen. Sing Sing‘s cast is being honored for touching global audiences with the impactful real-life story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility and its alumni.
Directed by Greg Kwedar from his script written with Clint Bentley, Sing Sing follows a wrongfully convicted Divine G (Domingo) as he finds purpose by acting in a theater group alongside other incarcerated men, including wary newcomer (Clarence Maclin) while imprisoned at the Ossining, New York-based Sing Sing. In addition to well-known Hollywood talents like Domingo, the stirring true story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art benefits from the on-screen talents of a number of formerly incarcerated actors and RTA alumni.
Stated The Gotham Film & Media Institute’s Executive Director, Jeffrey Sharp, “Sing Sing powerfully illuminates the indomitable spirit of those impacted by the systemic challenges of our prison system, while showcasing the profound, transformative power of the arts. The Gotham is honored to present this year’s Social Justice Tribute to such a joyous and groundbreaking project. We look forward to celebrating the cast and visionary team behind this remarkable film, recognizing their work as a catalyst for artistic excellence and social change.”
Kwedar shared that he’s “so grateful to the Gotham Film & Media Institute for honoring our film and the extraordinary group of artists who all made it possible to bring this story of humanity, strength and brotherhood to the world with such elegance and vulnerability.”
Commented Sing Sing producers Monique Walton and Bentley, “We are deeply honored to have been a part of this powerful project alongside such a devoted cast and crew, and grateful to the RTA alumni for joining us, and trusting us to come alongside them to help tell their stories.”
Sing Sing hit theaters in July after world premiering to critical acclaim at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival. In addition to Domingo’s performance, which is expected to be a lock for an Oscar nomination, the film has made headlines of late given the recent exoneration in full of Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez, one of the film’s co-stars, who spent nearly 24 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of a 1998 murder. Among those showing support for Velazquez at court were Sing Sing co-stars Maclin, Sean “Dino” Johnson, Mosi Eagle, Patrick “Preme” Griffin, Kwedar and Buell, and several A24 staffers.
Walton, Bentley, and Kwedar produced the pic, with Teddy Schwarzman, Michael Heimler, Colman Domingo, Raúl Domingo, Larry Kalas, Larry Kelly, Nancy Schafer, Maclin, and John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield serving as exec producers. Notably, Sing Sing operated on a community-based financial model, where each member of the cast and crew was paid the same rate and shared in the upside of the film’s success.
Among others set to be feted at this year’s edition of The Gothams is the Dune franchise’s Denis Villeneuve.
