Bring Down The Walls

Bring Down The Walls (2020, dir. Phil Collins)

When watching Bring Down The Walls I was struck by the irony when I discovered that the ‘land of the free’ jails the most people in the world, a total of over two million . Phil Collins (no, not that Phil Collins!), shines a spotlight on the reality of the prison industry in a modern-day America. 

Through the lens of house music and nightlife, the film tries to answer the question of how to halt the rise of the prison population. This enormous question is asked through the stories of former prisoners and abolitionist activists. The film tracks the birth of house music, which finds its roots in marginalised communities heavily affected by the American prison system. Collin’s establishes a home base at fire station number 31, whereby day panels and interviews are held and by night it is transformed to a dance party. This home base gives Collin’s the ability to show the stories of those who have been incarcerated and the injustice that they face due to the colour of their skin.

Bring Down The Walls holds a mirror up to the American justice system highlighting the cracks that have formed over the decades. A politically engaged film that deconstructs the prison system.

Written by Hope Rowden