Synopsis
In MUSIC FROM THE BIG HOUSE, Rita Chiarelli, Canada’s Queen of the Blues, takes a pilgrimage to the birthplace of the blues, Louisiana State Maximum Security Penitentiary a.k.a Angola Prison - what used to be the bloodiest prison in America. Rita’s trip turns into a historic jailhouse performance - playing with inmates serving life sentences. Their shared bond of music, and Chiarelli’s vivacious personality, draw striking revelations from the inmates. Rather than sensational stories of convicts, we witness remarkable voices of hope as their love of music radiates humanity and redemption on their quest for forgiveness.
Bruce McDonald
DIRECTOR
Canada's pre-eminent bad-boy of filmmaking has won international attention and numerous awards for films such as The Tracey Fragments (Best Canadian Feature and Best Director, Atlantic Film Festival), Roadkill (Best Canadian Feature, TIFF) and Hard Core Logo (Best Canadian Feature, VIFF). Bruce's repertoire includes quality, music-focused documentaries Robbie Robertson (Life & Times), Metric in NYC and Die Mannequin (The Rawside of...).
Canada's pre-eminent bad-boy of filmmaking has won international attention and numerous awards for films such as The Tracey Fragments (Best Canadian Feature and Best Director, Atlantic Film Festival), Roadkill (Best Canadian Feature, TIFF) and Hard Core Logo (Best Canadian Feature, VIFF). Bruce's repertoire includes quality, music-focused documentaries Robbie Robertson (Life & Times), Metric in NYC and Die Mannequin (The Rawside of...).