In ‘Songs From The Hole,’ an Illuminating Story of Prison — and Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a universal concept, relatively simple in nature. A wrong is collectively addressed, an apology is exchanged for a thank you, and ideally all parties move forward with changed behavior.

For James “JJ’88” Jacobs, a musician who honed his craft while in solitary confinement in a California state prison, forgiveness is arguably the single most profound concept in his life.

Days after he committed a homicide that would lead to his double life sentence, JJ’88 lost his brother to gunfire. While in prison, JJ’88 encountered the man who killed his brother.

That ill-fated triangle of trauma, and the concept of forgiveness, are at the center of the film Songs From The Hole.

Co-written by JJ’88, produced by richie reseda and directed by Contessa Gayles, the film is technically a documentary. But it might be more accurately described as high-level multimedia artwork about a key aspect of the human experience: forgiveness. It screens at Berkeley’s La Peña Cultural Center on Thursday, Oct. 10, as a part of the 15th annual Fist Up Film Festival.

The story is told through a series of recorded calls on a prison phone between JJ’88 and his family, and interviews with the production team. Excerpts of written letters are sprinkled throughout the storyline, along with family photos and archival home video, plus animation, choreography and reenactments full of symbolism. It’s all anchored by JJ’88’s original songs about prison, being Black and facing oppression in America — with references to spirituality and family.

At a particularly low point in JJ’88’s story, he writes a song titled “Steel Grave.” JJ’88’s description of the feeling of being behind bars segues into one of the several music video-like interludes in the film, and a track with heavy bass begins. Before the lyrics start, we see a sheet of lined notebook paper with a note from JJ’88: “*Visual Note: This visual also works as an animation.”

Those sorts of details, director Gayles says, speak to how they worked together as a unit. “We collaborated through the whole process; we were intentional about that,” says Gayles during a recent video chat.

Gayles first met JJ’88 while making her previous film, The Feminist on Cellblock Y, which premiered on CNN in 2018, covering the story of Songs From the Hole’s producer, richie reseda.

Gayles says the trio formed a well-balanced approach to storytelling for Songs From the Hole.

“We did it over a bunch of phone calls — 15 minutes at a time — and handwritten snail-mailed treatments,” says Gayles, adding that despite the obstacles and power dynamics involved with being incarcerated, JJ’88 had agency. “We did a lot of back and forth, and co-wrote it together.”

Gayles sees JJ’88’s story as a way to reach people “looking to heal and move toward a collective freedom.”

“I want people to know that healing and transformation is possible,” Gayles says. “There are other ways that we can respond… beyond producing more violence and harm by punishment and revenge.”

The local screening of the film, which won the Audience Award at this year’s SXSW during its debut in March, will be a bit of a homecoming. Gayles, originally from Buffalo, New York, was based in the Bay during the two years of the film’s development, supported by a fellowship with BAVC and nurtured by the local film community.

“I feel proud to bring this back and show folks what we were working on,” says Gayles.

The film will be screened as a part of the Fist Up Film Festival, which is celebrating its 15th year. Founded by Berkeley filmmaking siblings Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi and Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi, the festival bucks several trends of traditional film festivals.

“They cost a lot of money,” explains Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi. “And they aren’t connected to community.”

In contrast, the Fist Up Film Festival is free for filmmakers to enter, and issues donation-based tickets to screenings.

The 10-day festival includes family-friendly films like ‘Supa Modo,’ the tale of a young superheroine in training, as well as social events for adults, like a Spanish Reggae night at Kulcha Latino in Oakland.

Jacobs-Fantauzzi says Songs From The Hole fits the festival perfectly.

“We believe the idea is to tell the story with the community instead of about the community,” says Jacobs-Fantauzzi. “The power will remain in these communities when they’re able to tell their own stories.”

The Fist Up Film Festival runs Oct. 4–14 at various venues. ‘Songs From The Hole’ screens Thursday, Oct. 10, at La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley. Tickets and more information can be found here.