MIFF Interview: Shalom Almond on putting humanity at the core of Songs Inside

The Curb

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16d ago 30:54

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When documentarian Shalom Almond received access to document a group of women prisoners training retired greyhounds to become house-friendly pets for her 2017 film Prisoners and Pups, she opened up a door to be able to capture the hidden stories of women prisoners in Australian jails. Prisoners and Pups is a gentle film that shows the power of rehabilitation programs in prisons, not just for the prisoners, but also for the greyhounds.

Now, in 2025, she is back with her essential documentary Songs Inside. Here Shalom captures the lives of women in the Adelaide Women's Prison, becoming part of their lives for six-months as she documents their participation in a music program which sees prisoners learn how to play the ukulele, write songs, and sing, all in preparation for a performance with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in front of 200 inmates. The climactic performance became the largest concert staged within an Australian correctional facility.

Along the journey, Shalom sits in the cells of the prisoners listening to their stories, accompanies them to hearings, and captures their rehearsal processes. Art becomes a salvation for those inside, a release that is given to the prisoners who show good behaviour. But Shalom is not alone in this process, with Barkindji singer-songwriter Nancy Bates guiding their process to becomes singers and songwriters in their own right.

There's a beautiful charm to Songs Inside that never detracts the reality that these are women who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law. But Shalom also never focuses on what crimes they may have done to find themselves in this situation. Instead, she taps into the notion of redemption, showing in the process that their futures are in their hands and this musical process is a part of the healing journey they find themselves on.

Ahead of Songs Inside's screenings at the Melbourne International Film Festival, I had a chat with Shalom about her work on the film, what it means to be a supportive filmmaker for her subjects, and more. With a career that spans over two decades, Shalom is someone I know I could talk for much longer about her work, and hopefully one day I will.

Songs Inside also screens in competition at CinefestOz, with a full release to come down the line.

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