Dancing, fighting, performing, loving, fashion shows, football, vogueing…all in a day’s work for the inmates of Buenos Aires’ Casero women’s prison. Lola Arias’ beautiful hybrid musical documentary/drama Reas examines prison life using real ex-cons who re-enact their prison experiences to great effect. Queer women, trans men, ex models, drug mules, con artists…the whole spectrum of life co-exists in this prison in a fragile harmony that is easily disrupted.
We meet cute 26-year-old ex-model Yoseli. She’s serving four years inside for drug smuggling. Her arrest and strip search are re-enacted. On her first day in prison trans-man Nacho tries to recruit her to his gang. He’s a drummer in a rock band in prison called No Control, with fellow inmates, singer Estefi, voguer/keyboardist Noe, guitarist Pati and bank robber bassist Paulita. Loner Yoseli initially declines the invite, not the wisest decision though, as there is safety in numbers in prison. She does, however, end up in a romantic relationship with him.
We follow the group of women and their prison wardens as they sing, smoke, fight, dance, play football and box. They also help each other with their legal rights and cases. They share their stories, both pre-incarceration and whilst inside. The inmates recall violence from the prison wardens and cruel cell searches where their meagre belongings are disrespected. Prison romances between the women are examined, some of which lead to weddings in the prison. There is a separate trans wing of the prison where transition surgery for trans women is facilitated but isn’t for trans men.
Arias’ honest, warm-hearted film, shot in a disused prison, combines beautiful pastel coloured art direction, a mellow soundtrack with a gentle, often symmetrical, cinematography and calming interviews to tell quite harrowing stories that include violence, kidnapping and sex trafficking in the outside world. I imagine prison for some of these people is actually a form of respite from their harsh real worlds. Despite their incarceration, the inmates can work, romance, educate themselves, and many develop lifelong friendships. Weddings, kids’ birthdays, family visits and many other social activities that break up their daily routine are re-enacted. We also learn of the now ex-inmates’ hopes and dreams for the future. Arias breaks up the narrative with various musical dance numbers, some of which are better than others, but these are real ex-inmates, not professional performers, so this is excused. Nacho’s band is actually pretty good. I’ll miss these people and their camaraderie. Unique and entertaining story-telling.
Directed by Lola Arias the movie was reviewed at BFI Flare London’s Queer Film Fest
Queerguru’s Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah
