What is it about prison films in the news today? First Luc Besson is producing a futuristic action movie, now it’s been announced that Doug Liman is working on a drama about the riot that tore through New York’s Attica prison in 1971.
Fuelled by deteriorating conditions and poor treatment of prisoners (including limiting access to showers and providing just one roll of toilet paper a month), the incident was finally sparked to life by the death of prisoner George Jackson across the country at San Quentin in California. Around 1,000 of the facility’s 2,200 inmates rioted, seizing control of the prison for four days, with the local authorities agreeing to some demands, but ultimately taking the building back by force.
When the smoke – or more accurately, the tear gas – cleared, at least 39 people were dead.
Liman has a personal connection to the story, in that his father was involved as a chief counsel to the investigation of what happened and he’s now busy developing the project with Geoffrey Fletcher, who wrote Precious.
As the LA Times notes, it’s very early days on the project, which means it’ll be a while before it hits the screen. But Liman and Fletcher are aiming to make it with indie money, so we’re intrigued to see what they’ll produce…