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Songbirds

Play trailer Songbirds 2005 1h 20m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 5 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Documentarian Brian Hill, poet Simon Armitage and composer Simon Boswell collaborate with female inmates at Downview Prison in Sutton, England, to document their social histories in song. Inmates sing of their lives before prison, including childhood abuse, domestic violence, struggles with addiction, and their own personal failings. The film explores issues of victimhood and criminality, while recasting its condemned subjects simply as women with stories to tell.

Critics Reviews

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John Anderson Variety 01/26/2006
Through the musical numbers, Songbirds achieves an artistic and emotional clarity that all the talking-head interviews in the world could never produce. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey SF360 03/30/2016
Songbirds is tough-mindedly striking on several levels. Its protagonists seem not exploited or manipulated, but fully engaged by their curious autobiographical mini-musical opportunity. Go to Full Review Amber Wilkinson Eye for Film 12/07/2007
3.5/5
The film clearly raises questions about the nature of sentencing in the UK - two "duped" drug mules, for example, are serving a mind-blowing 18 years. Go to Full Review Film Threat 01/24/2006
4/5
Eric Campos Film Threat 01/23/2006
4/5
Audiences will be in for a unique experience featuring some of the rawest musical numbers you're bound to see for a good long while. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
Songbirds

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Cast & Crew

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Brian Hill

Director

Katie Bailiff

Producer

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Songbirds

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Movie Info

Synopsis Documentarian Brian Hill, poet Simon Armitage and composer Simon Boswell collaborate with female inmates at Downview Prison in Sutton, England, to document their social histories in song. Inmates sing of their lives before prison, including childhood abuse, domestic violence, struggles with addiction, and their own personal failings. The film explores issues of victimhood and criminality, while recasting its condemned subjects simply as women with stories to tell.
Director
Brian Hill
Producer
Katie Bailiff
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 20m