
Imagine a prison with some ten thousand prisoners, many of them dangerous and, to control them, only a few unarmed employees. Small in number, these employees work in shifts. They are almost prisoners themselves, in a routine of tension, but also of humor and emotion. This prison was all too real. While it was in existence, the Carandiru was the largest prison in Latin America, administered by a reduced number of employees. The documentary shows, from the point of view of these few employees, holding the keys, how the prison operated: the delicate balance in the relationship with the prisoners, affinity among employees, moments of tension and, even, of happiness. These are stories told by former employees, among them, Dr. Dráuzio Varella, author of the book Estação Carandiru. These are the secrets of a place that no longer exists.

Dráuzio Varella
Self

Geraldo Alckmin
Self

Rita Cadillac
Self
Insight Prison Project
Insight Prison Project

Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo
Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo
Hard Time: The Making of Prison
Hard Time: The Making of Prison
The Execution Machine: Texas Death Row
The Execution Machine: Texas Death Row

The Art of Incarceration
The Art of Incarceration

Last Days of Solitary
Last Days of Solitary

Seeds of Change
Seeds of Change

Women Behind Bars with Trevor McDonald
Women Behind Bars with Trevor McDonald
52 Blocks: Show and Prove
52 Blocks: Show and Prove

Afro-American Work Songs in a Texas Prison
Afro-American Work Songs in a Texas Prison

Standard Operating Procedure
Standard Operating Procedure

The Road to Mass Incarceration
The Road to Mass Incarceration