FREE MEN

JURY AWARD, ALGER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (FICA) 2018
WINNER OF THE CHAMP-DOLLON JURY PRISON AWARD
LO PORTO PRIZE : BEST DOCUMENTARY, TERRA DI TUTTI FILM FESTIVAL 2019

« Just because you’re behind bars doesn’t mean that you can’t have dreams and goals and accomplish them. » Kenneth Reams
Told through the charismatic voice of inmate Kenneth Reams, FREE MEN is a film about human resilience. Sentenced to death, in solitary confinement for the last 25 years, Kenneth has pushed back the walls of his cell to become a painter, a poet, the founder of a non-profit, and an art event organizer – while fighting at the same time for justice. At age 18, Kenneth Reams was convicted for capital murder without firing a bullet. He became the youngest inmate on Arkansas death row. Alongside art, the film shows how love can cross barbed wire and the length of an ocean in Kenneth’s love for Isabelle, a French artist who wants to become his wife. While Arkansas rushes to execute ten inmates in ten days – an absolute American record - the film captures Kenneth’s struggle, with unprecedented access to his daily battle, and raises universal questions - How can we fight injustice? How can we continue to move forward and find a sense of purpose in life?
FREE MEN is a film for all those who have thought, one day, of giving up.

AVAILABLE ON VOD (In Switzerland)

·Cinefile.ch
·Play Suisse

AVAILABLE ON VOD (Out of Switzerland)

·Vimeo
·iTunes
·Google Play
·Amazon

ADDITIONNAL SCREENINGS

Sunday February 9th 2020 at 22:00 on RTS 2

Thursday November 14th 2019 at 18:00, Geneva University - Uni Dufour, with the presence of the director and Kenneth Reams

Thursday October 24th 2019 at 20:15, Festival des Libertés - Bruxelles, with the presence of the director and Kenneth Reams

From October 24th to 27th 2019, Espace Noir - St Imier:
Thursday October 24th at 20:00
Friday October 25th at 20:00
Saturday October 26th at 20:00
Sunday October 27th at 17H:00 and 20:00

From June 4th at Cinémont, Delémont:

Tuesday June 4th at 18:15
> with the support of the Office of culture of the Republic and Canton of Jura
> with the presence of Christine Salvadé, the director and Kenneth Reams on the phone.

Wednesday June 5th at 18:00
Thursday June 6th at 18:00
Friday June 7th at 15:30 and 18:00
Sunday June 9th at 10:30
Monday June 10th at 10:30
Tuesday June 11th at 15:30 and 18:00
Thursday June 13th at 15:45
Friday June 14th at 15:45
Monday June 17th at 15:45
Tuesday June 18th at 15:45

Wednesday May 29th at 18:15 at Cinérama Empire, last screening in Geneva
> with the presence of the director Anne-F. Widmann, followed by a phone call with Kenneth Reams

Sunday April 14th at 10:30 at Cinéma Appolo, Neuchâtel

Sunday April 14th at 10:30 at Cinéma Scala, La Chaux-de-Fonds

Sunday April 7th at 13:50 and April 9 at 15:30 at Cinéma Rex, Fribourg

Friday April 5th at 20:30 at Cinéma Eden, Château d’Oex
> with the presence of director Anne-F. Widmann, followed by a phone call with Kenneth Reams

Thrusday April 4th at 20:00 at Cinéma Appolo, Neuchâtel
> with the presence of criminologist André Kuhn, director Anne-F. Widmann, followed by a phone call with Kenneth Reams

From April 3rd to 9th, every day at 20:15 at Cinéma Bio, Geneva

Sunday March 31st at 11:00 at Cinéma Casino, Martigny

March 30th and 31st at 16:10 at Cinéma Rex, Fribourg

Wednesday March 27th at 20:00 at Cinéma Royal, Sainte Croix

Tuesday March 26th at 18:15 at Cinéma Rex, Fribourg
> with the presence of director Anne-F. Widmann, followed by a phone call with Kenneth Reams

Monday March 25th at 18:15 at Cinérama Empire, Geneva
> with the presence of director Anne-F. Widmann, followed by a phone call with Kenneth Reams

Sunday March 24th at 17:30 at Cinéma Royal, Sainte Croix
> with the presence of director Anne-F. Widmann, followed by a phone call with Kenneth Reams

Saturday March 23rd at 18:00 at Cinéma Casino, Martigny
> with the presence of Chappatte and director Anne-F. Widmann, followed by a phone call with Kenneth Reams

PREMIERES WITH THE PRESENCE OF THE DIRECTOR
FOLLOWED BY A PHONE CALL WITH KENNETH REAMS FROM THE DEATH ROW:

Tuesday February 26th at 20:00 at Cinéma Bellevaux, Lausanne
Thurday February 28th at 20:30 at Cinérama Empire, Geneva
Saturday March 23rd at 18:00 at Cinéma Casino, Martigny
Sunday March 24th at 17:30 at Cinéma Royal, Sainte-Croix
Tuesday March 26th at 18:00 at Cinéma Rex, Fribourg
Thursday April 4th at 20:30 at Cinéma Apollo, Neuchâtel

IN THE THEATRES FROM FEBRUARY 26TH 2019

FESTIVALS

December 2019 - BAHAMAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
October 2019 - TERRA DI TUTTI FILM FESTIVAL (Italy)
September 2019 - MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL BLACK FILM FESTIVAL (Canada)
March 2019 - SALEM FILM FEST (USA)
March 2019 - FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DU GRAND REPORTAGE D'ACTUALITE ET DU DOCUMENTAIRE DE SOCIETE (FIGRA), Saint-Omer (FR)
Dec. 2018 - INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF ALGIERS (FICA)
Oct. 2018 - USA PREMIERE - AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL
Oct. 2018 - ALMOST THERE FESTIVAL - Beirut, Lebanon
Oct. 2018 - DOCSMX Festival Internacional de Cine Documental de la Ciudad de México - Compétition "Retratos"
March 2018 - WORLD PREMIERE - FIFDH Film festival and international forum on human rights (FIFDH), Geneva (Switzerland)

AWARDS
LO PORTO PRIZE FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY AT THE TERRA DI TUTTI FILM FESTIVAL, BOLOGNA, 2019
HONOURABLE MENTION OF THE JURY AT THE MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL BLACK FILM FESTIVAL 2019
SPECIAL AWARD OF THE JURY DOCUMENTARIES, INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF ALGIERS (FICA) 2018
CHAMP-DOLLON JURY PRISON AWARD, FIFDH 2018

Documentary 90' / 2018 / Switzerland
Shooting format : HD
Screening formant : DCP, Prores
Sound: 5.1
O.V. : English/French
Subtitles available : French/English/German

Original Title : FREE MEN

With: Kenneth Reams,Ndume Olatushani,Isabelle Watson Reams,George Kendall
Director: Anne-Frédérique Widmann
Production: Intermezzo Films, Luc Peter / RTS - Radio Télévision Suisse Unité des Films Documentaires, Irène Challand et Gaspard Lamunière / Globe Cartoon, Patrick Chappatte
Production assistants: Catherine Müller, Elodie Bieri, Katia Monla Guisolan, Karla Kolder
Director of Photography: Karim Amin
Sound: Nicolas Binggeli / Carlos Ibanez Diaz
Editing: Ana Acosta
Music composition: Costanza Francavilla
Music Publishing: ZerOKilled Music
Musicians: Costanza Francavilla: synthétiseurs, programmation, électroniques, basses, hang, piano / Stefano Cabrera: violoncelle / Kathleen Supové: piano / Davide Swarup: handpan (on end credits)
Piano recording: Threshold Recording Studios NYC
Editing assistants: Gabriel Gonzales , Juliana Fanjul
Sound editing: Carlos Ibañez Diaz, Techniques cinéma Genève
Mix: Martin Stricker, Le Bruit Qui Court
Additional mix: Fabrizio Bacherini, Costanza Francavilla
Pro Tools Assistant & musical transcription: Claudio Pezzotta
Music Mastering: Rafael Anton Irisarri , Black Knoll Studio NYC
Post-production: Freestudios
Post-production Superviser: Giorgio D'Imperio
Conformation & mastering: Jean-Charles Weber
Colorgrading: Boris Rabusseau
Infographism: Berenice Rogazy
Website: Jeff Gaudinet, Raphaël Arbuz
Translations: Nina Kaelin

With the participation of Cinéforom
And the support of La Loterie Romande

With the supports of:

Fondation Tutator
Fonds culturel SUISSIMAGE
Pour-cent culturel Migros : Postproduction
Succès passage antenne SRG SSR
Amnesty International
Freestudios

© 2018 Intermezzo Films SA - RTS - Globe Cartoon

Production:
Intermezzo Films
28, rue de Bâle, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland
www.intermezzofilms.ch
info@intermezzofilms.ch
+41.22.741.47.47

International sales (TV & Digital):
Journeyman Pictures
United Kingdom
www.journeyman.tv
films@journeyman.tv
+44 (0) 208 786 6057

Swiss Distribution:
Chappatte & Widmann
Association Good Story, Globe cartoon, Geneva, Switzerland
afwid@hotmail.com
+41 79 409 48 25

International sales (festivals):
Lightdox
Anna Berthollet
1807 Blonay, Switzerland
www.lightdox.com
anna@lightdox.com
+41 (0) 78 637 04 44
+33 (0) 6 20 65 33 03

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