'More than half of released offenders still returning to prison within two years'
- 2022/23 report from the Government Services (ROGS) information for justice
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
My name is Rahul Adavani. I’m the director and producer for the upcoming documentary ‘Behind Their Bars’. A documentary that was not my idea.
It was December 2019 when I received an email titled ‘introduction’. The email contained a polite request from someone who had briefly appeared in the documentary I was making. The request centred on her friend’s son who was looking for some tips to get his documentary off the ground.
I met Michael in January 2020, he was bursting with unbridled enthusiasm and positivity. This enthusiasm coupled with a childlike hopefulness made him instantly endearing. He was also the first person that I’d ever met with an ankle monitor.
Michael was clear about the documentary he wanted to make; it would cover his experience in prison, the issues he felt lead him there, along with the broader topics of prisoner reintegration, education and prevention.
As he spoke passionately about his past experiences, the book he was writing, and the school talks he wanted to do. I couldn’t help but think that he was a man desperately trying to make up for lost time. I also distinctly remember him speaking glowingly about a woman named Dr Marietta.
I was more than happy to give Michael the advice he was looking for, but my mind was a million miles away from giving him anything more than that. Alluding to his likeable nature, Michael ended the conversation by shaking my hand and with a big smile he said, ‘we’ll see each other again’, I just smiled politely in response.
At that time, I was neck deep in my first documentary about Perinatal Depression & Anxiety. A documentary, started in late 2017, that had become my obsession. When Michael began to say, ‘we’ll see each other again’, my mind was already back with the mums that I had spent years with, their journeys, their pressures, their guilt, the traumas they’d had to overcome.
As charming as Michael was, I felt like I wouldn’t have the time to see him again and honestly, I just didn’t care enough about the topics of prisoner reintegration, education or prevention.
Later that year during lockdown, whilst I was deep into editing the Perinatal Documentary, Michael randomly sprang to mind. He just got out. How was he handling lockdown? What about his book? His school talks? All his plans?
So, I reached out and we organised a Zoom call. Thankfully, Michael had good news to share. Before lockdown he had reconnected with an old friend, she was helping him edit and mentally process the difficult book he was writing about his life. Furthermore, Michael spoke passionately about his plans to start school talks as soon as the lockdowns were lifted.
It was there that our relationship began, not to make a documentary, I didn’t have the energy for that, but to assist Michael in any small way that would help him on his journey.
In the following years (2021 -2025), I filmed Michael & Dr Marietta under the guise that someone other than myself, someone who had the burning passion required, would one day use the footage to create a documentary worthy of the subject matter. Overtime, that passion grew within me until I couldn’t deny it any longer.
As a result, ‘Behind Their Bars’ follows 2 main protagonists, Michael Raydan and Dr Marietta Martinovic. They possess distinct perspectives that cover the broad topics of prisoner reintegration, education and prevention.
Yet the story isn’t just from their perspectives.
Victims of crime, unfortunately, come in many forms. Michael’s family have and continue to feel the impact of Michael’s past.
The topics and issues covered in the documentary are heavy. There’s no shying away from that. This is a film that covers crippling mental illness, illicit drugs, prescription drug addiction, the healthcare system, youth violence, the education system, crime, suicide, grief, shame & judgment.
However, that doesn’t mean the film will be depressing or pessimistic in tone.
As a documentary filmmaker, I’m the storyteller not the story. Despite what you’ve read thus far, the story comes from the people sharing their lives in front of the camera, the issues & topics arise from the societal structures around them.
Therefore, I feel it’s important to cover difficult issues like drug addiction, violence, crime, shame etc… but not in a way that glorifies, sensationalises nor wallows in them but rather acknowledges their existence. I believe for a story to truly showcase hope it must recognise the despair from which it came.
My job is to integrate Michael’s and Dr Marietta’s perspectives into a cohesive story that is both educational and engaging. However, I also have the responsibility to bring another perspective to the film’s message.
The neutral observer… who doesn’t care about prisoner reintegration… but given the right experience… they will.
My name is Rahul Adavani. I’m the director and producer for the upcoming documentary ‘Behind Their Bars’. A documentary that was not my idea.
It was December 2019 when I received an email titled ‘introduction’. The email contained a polite request from someone who had briefly appeared in the documentary I was making. The request centred on her friend’s son who was looking for some tips to get his documentary off the ground.
I met Michael in January 2020, he was bursting with unbridled enthusiasm and positivity. This enthusiasm coupled with a childlike hopefulness made him instantly endearing. He was also the first person that I’d ever met with an ankle monitor.
Michael was clear about the documentary he wanted to make; it would cover his experience in prison, the issues he felt lead him there, along with the broader topics of prisoner reintegration, education and prevention.
As he spoke passionately about his past experiences, the book he was writing, and the school talks he wanted to do. I couldn’t help but think that he was a man desperately trying to make up for lost time. I also distinctly remember him speaking glowingly about a woman named Dr Marietta.
I was more than happy to give Michael the advice he was looking for, but my mind was a million miles away from giving him anything more than that. Alluding to his likeable nature, Michael ended the conversation by shaking my hand and with a big smile he said, ‘we’ll see each other again’, I just smiled politely in response.
At that time, I was neck deep in my first documentary about Perinatal Depression & Anxiety. A documentary, started in late 2017, that had become my obsession. When Michael began to say, ‘we’ll see each other again’, my mind was already back with the mums that I had spent years with, their journeys, their pressures, their guilt, the traumas they’d had to overcome
At that time, I was neck deep in my first documentary about Perinatal Depression & Anxiety. A documentary, started in late 2017, that had become my obsession. When Michael began to say, ‘we’ll see each other again’, my mind was already back with the mums that I had spent years with, their journeys, their pressures, their guilt, the traumas they’d had to overcome.
As charming as Michael was, I felt like I wouldn’t have the time to see him again and honestly, I just didn’t care enough about the topics of prisoner reintegration, education or prevention.
Later that year during lockdown, whilst I was deep into editing the Perinatal Documentary, Michael randomly sprang to mind. He just got out. How was he handling lockdown? What about his book? His school talks? All his plans?
So, I reached out and we organised a Zoom call. Thankfully, Michael had good news to share. Before lockdown he had reconnected with an old friend, she was helping him edit and mentally process the difficult book he was writing about his life. Furthermore, Michael spoke passionately about his plans to start school talks as soon as the lockdowns were lifted.
It was there that our relationship began, not to make a documentary, I didn’t have the energy for that, but to assist Michael in any small way that would help him on his journey.
In the following years (2021 -2025), I filmed Michael & Dr Marietta under the guise that someone other than myself, someone who had the burning passion required, would one day use the footage to create a documentary worthy of the subject matter. Overtime, that passion grew within me until I couldn’t deny it any longer.
As a result, ‘Behind Their Bars’ follows 2 main protagonists, Michael Raydan and Dr Marietta Martinovic. They possess distinct perspectives that cover the broad topics of prisoner reintegration, education and prevention.
Yet the story isn’t just from their perspectives.
Victims of crime, unfortunately, come in many forms. Michael’s family have and continue to feel the impact of Michael’s past.
The topics and issues covered in the documentary will be heavy. There’s no shying away from that. This is a film that covers crippling mental illness, illicit drugs, prescription drug addiction, the healthcare system, youth violence, the education system, crime, suicide, grief, shame & judgment.
However, that doesn’t mean the film will be depressing or pessimistic in tone.
As a documentary filmmaker, I’m the storyteller not the story. Despite what you’ve read thus far, the story comes from the people sharing their lives in front of the camera, the issues & topics arise from the societal structures around them.
Therefore, I feel it’s important to cover difficult issues like drug addiction, violence, crime, shame etc… but not in a way that glorifies, sensationalises nor wallows in them but rather acknowledges their existence. I believe for a story to truly showcase hope it must recognise the despair from which it came.
My job is to integrate Michael’s and Dr Marietta’s perspectives into a cohesive story that is both educational and engaging. However, I also have the responsibility to bring another perspective to the film’s message.
The neutral observer… who doesn’t care about prisoner reintegration… but given the right experience… they will.