Synopsis

In country music, Johnny Cash was heir to Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams, and to the mass audience he was an authentic character who narrated the American experience. His songwriting enriched the nation’s folk music catalog, and his exploration of the lives of prisoners, Native Americans, laborers, farmers and others on the outskirts of society uniquely demonstrates the power of music to comment on injustice and the human condition. Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison examines the most important day in the career of one of America’s foremost popular artists. It was January 1968, a year that would be saturated in violence and historical change. Cash’s 1968 concert at Folsom State Prison in California and the ensuing album became a symbol of the 1960s and transformed his career. ‘Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison’ remains one of the greatest live albums ever made, and the man himself one of America’s greatest troubadours and advocates for prison reform. Forty years later, the album still resonates today with a rawness and authenticity that few recordings have ever achieved. Drawing from rock photographer Jim Marshall’s stark images of that day, rare archival footage, as well as exclusive interviews with participants and observers, the film traces Cash’s rocky road that led to the concert and the torrent of stardom and political debate that came after it. This film will expose a lesser known ‘Man in Black’ through an exciting, visually compelling examination of this historic concert.

Director

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  • Besto Cram
  • Besto Cram has over 20 years of experience as a director, producer, and cinematographer. After graduating from the Art Design Graduate School, he started his career as a cinematographer and photographer. In 1982, he founded Northern Lights Productions and became involved in directing and producing. His company has produced over 50 films. Besto Cram’s works, which include various collaborative projects in TV, multi-screen presentations, and art gallery installations, have aired on PBS, Sundance Channel, BBC, and HBO.