Emily Ahearn

The Alabama prison system has moved three well-known inmate activists who supported a 2022 prison strike and were featured in an Oscar-nominated documentary about the troubled system to isolated cells with little contact with others, family members and attorneys said.

A groundbreaking film on Alabama’s prison system is a step closer to one of Hollywood’s highest honors. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named “The Alabama Solution” as a nominee for Best Documentary. The film was shot with footage taken by inmates inside the state’s prisons. APR student reporter Emily Ahearn spoke with the co-producers of the film, who also directed.

A documentary shot with footage smuggled out of Alabama prisons may be in contention for an Academy Award. The nominees for this year’s Oscars will announced later this week. “The Alabama Solution” was shortlisted for “Documentary Feature Film” category.

Family and advocates of people incarcerated in Alabama prisons said they want to keep a public spotlight on problems in state lockups and said inmates are planning another work stoppage to protest conditions. Conditions in Alabama’s prisons inspired a documentary called “The Alabama Solution” whose directors talked with APR news about their groundbreaking film featuring cell phone footage taken by inmates.

Home football games in Tuscaloosa involve logistics. Fans have to park and find their seats. The football players use buses to get to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Then, there’s the food. Cheering burns calories. And, that means trips to the concession stand for stadium dogs or nachos. One place in Tuscaloosa is responsible for one crunchy item on the game day menu.