Leonera

Few films have actually been set and filmed inside an actual real life maximum security prison, but the Argentine movie Leonera (Lion's Den) not only films most of it's action inside one , it also uses the staff and inmates as extras in an interesting and confounding drama.

Julia Zarate ( Martina Gusman) is a bleached blond, apparently abused and depressive two dimensional student. She is convicted for the murder of her lover ( and the assault on his boyfriend) and enters prison pregnant.

In a somewhat meandering and absorbing story we witness Julia's development from sullen teen into a fierce mother with purpose, and as she heads towards the time that her son is four years old ( the age when prisoners' children have to leave incarceration) , the audience prepares themselves for the inevitable tragedy.

Lion's Den is an interesting film as it wrong foots the audience consistently. We don't know if Julia is guilty or innocent, we know nothing of her past, her relationship with the resourceful horse faced lag Marta ( the excellent Laura Garcia) does not let her down at the crucial moment and the expected downbeat ending just does not materialise..

Prison and Motherhood are seen to transform Julia....and despite the awful storyline...there are flashes of hope and humour in this otherwise bleak but compelling story .

8/10