Unit 25

Unit 25 is the name of a special ward in an Argentine prison. Unlike in all other penitentiaries, preserving order and discipline here isn't accomplished with strict prison rules, but rather by using a biblical groundwork. The atmosphere is relatively open but not free by a long shot. The leitmotif for everyday life is religious conviction, which the leaders of the unit propagate with great emphasis. Those who get put in the unit have to conform to a strict daily rhythm in which song, prayer and biblical reading are the primary elements. In this way, the hope is that the inmates will mend their ways for good. This documentary follows a young prisoner starting from the moment he arrives in Unit 25. At first, he appears to want nothing to do with the religious gatherings, but gradually the leaders get a hold on him and he participates in the unit's religious life with steadily increasing zeal. Whether this change results from inner conviction or is only a reaction to the peer pressure exercised on him is a question left for the viewer to answer.