Straff / Punishment

Oslo’s maximum security prison Halden holds 250 men, most of whom are serving long sentences. For three weeks each year, a small wing of the prison is transformed into a cloister and a handful of selected prisoners take part in a Christian retreat under the guidance of two priests. Most of the time, the men maintain silence. They also take part in mass, meditation practices, and daily half-hour one-on-one sessions with the clerics. It is during these conversations that the audience gets to know the four prisoners Bjørn, Christian, Hasan, and John, all of whom have committed serious crimes and face many more years in prison. Although not all of them believe in God, this singular resocialisation programme leads all four to a re-evaluation of themselves, their crimes, and their future, which they talk about with an astounding level of reflection and articulateness. In steady, observational black-and-white images, the film provides a look inside this unusual project, and leaves space for the audience to reflect on their own feelings about punishment, guilt, and forgiveness.